High school students smashing pouches, smuggling in extra phones to dodge SA phone ban

Just a week after phones were banned in many SA high schools, viral videos are showing how students are getting around the new rule.

Videos of high school students smashing open their Yondr phone pouches and smuggling in extra phones and magnets to get around the new phone ban have gone viral on TikTok only a week after the ban took effect in South Australia.

A tutorial posted on how to open the Yonder pouches without a magnet – showing the pouch being smashed repeatedly on the ground – has amassed more than 300,000 views with other sharing tips to unlock the pouches using wire, magnets and scissors.

Kids are smashing pouches to get to their phones during school – and posting the video. Picture: Supplied

Another video posted shows a student collecting magnets to sneak into school in preparation for the school year has been viewed more than 700,000 times.

Kids smashing pouches/smuggling phones to school. Picture: Supplied

Students are also smuggling in magnets to try to get the pouches open. Picture: Supplied

Other users have posted videos showing the extra phones they planned to take to school, with one user claiming they had as many as five to outwit the ban.

One Tiktok user claimed they took five phones to school. Picture: Supplied

The comments under the TikTok videos were flooded with users mocking the ban and sharing tricks to avoid it, such an extra phone, hiding phones or sneaking a phone-shaped object into the pouch instead.

Comments sharing tips to get around phone ban Picture: Supplied

Comments sharing tips to get around phone ban Picture: Supplied

Education Minister Blair Boyer said it was no surprise students were looking for ways to dodge the ban, saying the videos highlighted the “lengths and extents” young people would go to stay “attached” to their devices.

“This shows why we need to (have a policy) – of course (students) will try to find a way to get around, it but there are strong disciplinary procedures in place that will come into effect immediately if students are found to have damaged their pouches and not complying with the policy,” he said.

Mr Boyer said he was confident that as students became used to the policy they would benefit from the phone ban – with some schools already seeing results.

“All the feedback that I’ve had from principles this week is that it’s been really smooth … kids (are) spending more time and recess and lunch talking to each other and exercising, which is why we put it in place.”

The Opposition agreed it was predictable students would try to get around the ban.

Education spokesman John Gardner said the state government should better support schools in implementing more effective mechanisms.

A student in uniform distracted holding using and watching a mobile phone during a lesson at high school.

The phone ban was introduced at 20 high schools in the state at the start of term one bringing the total number of participating schools to 45.

All SA high schools must enforce a no-phone policy by the end of term two.

Students are required to lock their phones in their pouches at the start of the day – they are unlocked after the final bell using magnets inside stations around the school’s perimeter.

Students at schools not using the pouches are required to switch off phones and store them in lockers from the start of the day until the final bell.

The no-phone policy was implemented by Labor as part of its 2022 state election promise to crack down on cyber-bullying and reduce distractions in the classroom.