Ban smartphones from classrooms, says Federal Education Minister

SMARTPHONES should be banned in classrooms, the Federal Education Minister says, as figures show half of children were victim to cyberbullies in the past year. TAKE OUR SURVEY

THE Federal Education Minister has called for a smartphones to be banned in classrooms.

Senator Simon Birmingham made the call as figures show half of children were victim to cyberbullies in the past year.

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Mr Birmingham told the Sunday Herald Sun: “There’s almost no reason students shouldn’t have their phones switched off and in their lockers while they’re at school.

“Although learning to work with technology is essential, phones can be a distraction from lessons and a platform for bullying unless schools have the right policies in place.

“Those running school systems need to lead from the front with firm policies that ensure the problem isn’t just left to hardworking teachers and principals.’’

University of Melbourne Associate Professor Kay Margetts said smartphones were diluting students’ focus in the classroom and valuable social skills.

“I think it is quite reasonable that they could be banned. The sooner we do these things, the better,” she said. “There is so much research now about the negative impacts of social media on young people’s development that I think we need to put a stop to it.”

South Australian Senator Simon Birmingham has called for a smartphones to be banned in classrooms. Picture: AAP/David Mariuz

Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg, who sits on the federal government’s internet safety working group, said smartphones must be banned in primary schools.

Young children needing phones for “security purposes’’ should only be given “dumb phones’’ without internet access, he said.

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino said most of the state’s schools already had bans on phones being used during classes.

“Cyber bullying is complex and doesn’t stop at the school gate. In fact in many cases the most worrying time is when a child is at home and being bullied via social media,” he said.

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The recent suicide of 14-year-old Queensland schoolgirl Amy “Dolly” Everett after cyber bullying has put a spotlight on the issue.

“Cyber cop’’ Susan McLean demanded a ban on phones in schools, warning they risked being sued by the parents of cyber bullying victims over messages sent in school hours.

Ms McLean — who advises the federal government as a member of its Cyber Safety Working Group — said she was being flooded with requests from schools, parents and legal firms about the legality of phones in schools.

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