Page 3 | To wish schools would ban smartphones

thumbellinatinylittlething · 10/02/2023 18:21

Agree with @Nimbostratus100

neverbeenskiing · 10/02/2023 18:22

Sotiredofallthisnonsense · 10/02/2023 18:04

"I think that you are trying to abdicate responsibility here. You need to parent. Teachers have enough to do."

I was told by the school they recommend my child has a smartphone as they'd be the odd one out otherwise. I didn't want my child to have a smartphone but the school recommended they were bought one. I'm not sure what parents can do in that situation other than condemn their child to social ostracisation.

I find this very difficult to believe.

Partyandbullshit · 10/02/2023 18:22

Making a parent pick up a confiscated phone is a very good idea. I can’t see any downsides except for the parent abrogating responsibility, and many upsides for the child and the school community.

Dacadactyl · 10/02/2023 18:22

@NeverDropYourMooncup and yet I am always able to get through to DDs school when I need to. 99% of your reasons for kids "needing" a phone are to do with them being on their way to and from school, not during school.

Nimbostratus100 · 10/02/2023 18:24

InsufficientMum · 10/02/2023 17:44

@Nimbostratus100 are all the pupils allowed on the school wifi then or do they expect them to have a large data package?

they are on the school wifi

neverbeenskiing · 10/02/2023 18:24

cansu · 10/02/2023 18:09

I would prefer it if students were allowed a basic phone that makes calls and that is it. This would get round the argument that they were needed for safety on way home. I think the ship has sailed on smartphones and teens. They are the cause of much of the mental health angst that many teens display.

Parents are free to buy their child a "basic phone that makes calls and that is it" instead of a smartphone if they choose.

lbnblbnb · 10/02/2023 18:28

Sotiredofallthisnonsense · 10/02/2023 17:34

Aibu to think that its the very least schools should be doing so that schools and parents can work together to minimise the harm that smartphones cause - which imo far outweigh any benefits. By allowing smartphones even in the classroom, schools are the largest contributer to the peer pressure to have one. Am I in a minority of parents who wish schools didn't permit smartphones?

I don't know of any schools that permit them in the classroom. If you mean in the students bags, we can't search bags. So that is as much of a ban as is realistic.

Who is buying/paying for the phones? Surely, grow a backbone if you feel your child shouldn't have one?

Yet more blaming schools but weak parenting...

Yes I am a worn out teacher.

neverbeenskiing · 10/02/2023 18:28

Partyandbullshit · 10/02/2023 18:22

Making a parent pick up a confiscated phone is a very good idea. I can’t see any downsides except for the parent abrogating responsibility, and many upsides for the child and the school community.

We tried this. The downside was our lovely receptionists being verbally abused by parents on the phone and in person because it wasn't convenient for them to come into school, parents threatening to call the police because we had "stolen their property". Several parents told their children to refuse to hand over phones for confiscation because they didn't want to have to come in and pick it up.

Minikievs · 10/02/2023 18:29

Testng123 · 10/02/2023 17:37

No phones allowed in my dc's school. They can bring them for before and after school for arranging lifts etc, but must be off and in locker during school hours. It's great

Exactly the same at our secondary too

Yopy · 10/02/2023 18:30

I believe French schools have banned phones . So it can be done

Dacadactyl · 10/02/2023 18:30

@neverbeenskiing there would be consequences for this at DDs school. The child would likely be excluded for not handing the phone over.

Kazzyhoward · 10/02/2023 18:31

How can you ban them when so many schools now use them in school, i.e. homework apps, emails, online learning platforms, even just for research during lesson times?

The ship sailed years ago.

Johnnysgirl · 10/02/2023 18:33

Kazzyhoward · 10/02/2023 18:31

How can you ban them when so many schools now use them in school, i.e. homework apps, emails, online learning platforms, even just for research during lesson times?

The ship sailed years ago.

None of that needs to take place in the classroom.

neverbeenskiing · 10/02/2023 18:33

Dacadactyl · 10/02/2023 18:30

@neverbeenskiing there would be consequences for this at DDs school. The child would likely be excluded for not handing the phone over.

Yep, same here. Refusal leads to further sanctions, but again some parents are not supportive of this and the issue is then the staff time it takes when things like this escalate, and the impact on staff wellbeing of being shouted at and threatened by parents. There is no ideal solution because you cannot please everyone.

bigbluebus · 10/02/2023 18:37

Phones weren't allowed out at any time during the school day when my DS was at Secondary. Anyone caught with a phone out had it confiscated and had to collect it from reception at home time. They weren't even allowed to use it to phone home. They had to go to reception and use the school phone for 10p if they urgently needed to ring parents.

Partyandbullshit · 10/02/2023 18:39

neverbeenskiing · 10/02/2023 18:28

We tried this. The downside was our lovely receptionists being verbally abused by parents on the phone and in person because it wasn't convenient for them to come into school, parents threatening to call the police because we had "stolen their property". Several parents told their children to refuse to hand over phones for confiscation because they didn't want to have to come in and pick it up.

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That’s just awful.

What hope do schools have, with parents like this? I’m not a teacher, but it’s so frustrating reading thread after thread of parents trying to push parenting responsibility onto teachers. If you’re this type of parent, or your child is at school with kids with these types of parents, I can see why you’d want it!

I don’t know if private schools are any better for this. Tbh, I can just imagine private school parents being the most entitled…

TheSnugglyDuckling · 10/02/2023 18:40

Smart phones should be banned for under 16s. Under 16 they can have a basic Nokia to call and text. One day I think we’ll look back at smartphones like cigarettes

Oblomov23 · 10/02/2023 18:42

What about the fun? Outside of school. Of being in a group, chatting. Sending videos of ...... football howlers goalkeepers have made this week, corking goals. I'm glad both my ds's enjoy their phones outside of school.

DerangedViper · 10/02/2023 18:42

I think the way to go is off and out of sight at all times, unless directed otherwise by a teacher.

If someone needs to make a call during the school day, they may do so only with permission, under supervision in a designated area (eg in the entrance hall, within plain sight of receptionist)

Underminer · 10/02/2023 18:44

Phones have to be off in our school. However parents still buy them so that they can contact their children on the way to or from school. Text to make sure they have got home when parents are still at work etc.

WyfOfBathe · 10/02/2023 18:46

Where I teach, year 7-11's phone's must be switched off and in bags, including during break. Sixth formers can use phones in their common room or when given specific permission, e.g. for a recent Kahoot I said they could use any device, including phones. Saves waiting for laptops to load up!

My year 7 DD cycles to school. Last week she used Google Maps to get around an unexpected road closure. I was glad she had a smartphone and the wits to use it!

Backstreets · 10/02/2023 18:47

TheSnugglyDuckling · 10/02/2023 18:40

Smart phones should be banned for under 16s. Under 16 they can have a basic Nokia to call and text. One day I think we’ll look back at smartphones like cigarettes

I wholly agree.

The “convenience” of a smartphone’s digital tools comes with, in my view, so many obvious drawbacks to concentration, socialising, sexuality (France is also trying to tackle the problem of children being exposed to pornography) and mental health we are going to have to choose wellbeing over convenience at some point.

Doesn’t only apply to children either and I’m conscious of limiting my own use outside of work.

PurpleParrotfish · 10/02/2023 18:47

I’m actually happy that my son’s secondary school has a complete ban on smartphones on school premises. If they need to take a phone to school it has to be an Nokia style brick and even that has to be kept switched off in their school bag during the day. Smartphones if found are confiscated until the end of term.

I did realise that not all schools are so hardcore but I’m quite shocked at schools telling students they should have smartphones in school and getting them out in the classroom. Maybe I’m naive!

Choconut · 10/02/2023 18:49

Parents need to parent rather than expecting school to do it for them.

Mummyoflittledragon · 10/02/2023 18:52

My dd has a medical condition. She was allowed hers at her former secondary. They all were. I have had to argue with her current school that she needs it for reassurance and to put an SOS call / text to me if it is triggered when she’s alone and that she can’t just saunter down to the school office… which one of the SLT suggested to dd. I emailed explaining this suggestion would likely lead to carting dd off in an ambulance with a serious head injury. I’ve had to fight every single school to take her cardiological condition seriously.