English schools consider banning mobile phones

A new measure implemented in schools in England would seek to allow teachers to ban the use of mobile phones in class. Ruler gives teachers the power to ban devices even during recess, going so far as to impose as punishment the “confiscation” of the cell phone in a manner that the teacher deems necessary.

The guide, which comes from the Ministry of Education and which some want to see become law, It also gives teachers the power to search backpacks, in addition to legal protection against legal action by parents in the event of loss or damage to confiscated devices.

This rule comes days after the mother of Brianna Ghey, a young trans woman murdered in 2023, spoke out and called for her daughter’s murder to be a “turning point.” when it comes to fixing “the mess” that exists on the internet and social media, in terms of relationships between teenagers.

The proposal schools are receiving involves varying levels of severity regarding the ban. The most aggressive is the total ban on school grounds, requiring students to leave their cell phones at home with their parents. This option, according to the English school authorities, provides a “very simple barrier” punishment if a cell phone was found on school grounds.

A second, gentler option is for students to hand over their devices to school staff upon arrival and collect them at the end of the day. In this sense, we are also talking about lockers accessible only at the beginning and end of the school day. A more liberal option would finally consist of allowing students to have a telephone with them, but only on the “strict condition that they are never used, seen or heard”. The consequences in this case should be “robust enough to constitute an effective threat” says the guide, ensuring that it is important that schools reinforce this in a “vigorous, consistent and visible way”.

UK Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told BBC Breakfast that the guide aims to offer “consistency to reestablish the social norm that there is no place for cell phones in our schools throughout the school day. » He also noted that the policy situation was currently mixed, with some schools allowing cell phone use during recess and others banning it altogether.

When asked if she would go further and introduce legislation, Ms Keegan replied: “We would consider what else should be done if this advice does not work.” In any case, there is no unanimity on the necessity or not of this guide.

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) union does not expect the new guidelines to have a noticeable effect. “Most schools already ban the use of cell phones during the school day or only allow their use in limited and stipulated circumstances,” said general secretary Geoff Barton: “We have lost count of the number of times ministers have announced crackdowns on mobile phones in schools. It’s a non-policy for a non-issue.

One in three high school students say phones are used in most classes without permission. England’s Department for Education cited Ofcom figures showing that 97% of children own their own phone by the age of 12. UNESCO also decided to ban phones in schools after scientific evidence. which links its use to a decline in educational performance.