Port Augusta Secondary School, The Heights School to ban phones from Term 2

Schools that have had to deal with violent incidents will ban mobile phones a term earlier than planned as videos of schoolyard fights continue to circulate online.

One of the state’s most troubled schools and others which have had to deal with violent incidents will ban mobile phones a term earlier than planned, as videos of schoolyard fights continue to circulate online.

After discussions with Education Minister Blair Boyer, Port Augusta Secondary School, The Heights School and Mark Oliphant College will ban the use of mobile phones during the day from the start of Term 2.

They had originally planned to introduce the ban at the beginning of Term 3, by which time all high schools must implement the ban.

The statewide ban, promised by Labor before last year’s state election, requires students to turn off their mobile phone or switch them to flight mode before storing them away so they can’t be accessed or connected to throughout the day.

Each school is responsible for determining where phones are stored.

The Heights School, where a fight involving students was filmed, will ban mobile phones from Term 2. Picture: Supplied

The early introduction of the ban comes as videos of violent schoolyard fights continue to circulate on social media, with incidents at each of the three schools introducing the ban early being captured on camera.

The schools will join more than 40 others who have already introduced the ban.

Mr Boyer said he was pleased the schools had decided to bring the ban forward.

“It’s more than a ban on mobile phones in schools,” he said.

“It’s about teaching our young people to use technology in a safe, ethical and responsible way.

Mobile phones will be banned from Term 2 at Port Augusta Secondary School, where videos of a number of fights have been filmed and posted to social media. Picture: Supplied

On Friday, The Advertiser revealed students at Port Augusta Secondary School were in constant fear of fights breaking out at the school.

A 16-year-old student told The Advertiser violence at the school was worsened by students filming fights and sharing them to social media to “intimidate” others.

“They put it out there not to mess with them,” he said.

Whyalla Secondary College principal Tricia Richman said the school had seen positive results since introducing the ban last month.

“We have seen a much calmer environment in our schools, with no fights, and with students interacting with each other in a positive way,” she said.

“We have seen the success that the mobile phone ban has had at other schools, so we’ve brought it in earlier than we had originally planned.

Whyalla Secondary College principal Tricia Richman said the school had seen positive results since introducing the mobile phone ban in February. Picture: Tom Huntley

In February, a 15-year-old was charged with assault after allegedly attacking a fellow student at Whyalla Secondary.

In May last year, a 15-year-old girl was charged with assault after video emerged of a young girl being kicked, punched and stomped during a schoolyard bashing at the school.

“We’ve had a tough past year so we were looking at other ways we could help support our students,” Ms Richman said.

South Australian Secondary Principals’ Association chief executive Jayne Heath said the use of mobile phones was a “wider community issue”.

“It’s important that the wider community understand the importance of the policy so schools can be supported in implementing it, so this campaign is a positive step forward,” she said.

Originally published as Port Augusta Secondary School, The Heights School to ban phones from Term 2