Are there any parents out there who support smartphones in schools?

[LadyJos]

Just curious as all the dialogue out there seems to be about banning them.

Define what is social media?
I am most amused by Mumsnet posts slagged off social media... Mumsnet is social media. So is whatsApp, reddit, Discord, PokemonGo Campfire. Any group chat or forum is SM.

Are you going to encourage bans of children physically live chatting in arms-reach groups, too?

Mumsnet is a toxic dumpster on some occasions. I wouldn’t want my child anywhere near it.

Kids shouldn’t be on any forum where the other suers could be anyone.

And I don’t really know what you mean about arm-reach groups, but if you mean in person groups, that’s not even remotely similar. IRL you know who you are talking to and most people are far less rude or mean face to face.

Define Social Media any thing that is open to the general public. MN, Reddit, FB, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube.
I hate the thought of young teens being 'influenced' by completely unregulated people. Or putting videos out there for people to criticise and laugh at. Or for fights to end up on the Internet forever more.

WhatsApp tends to be more of a Chat place with groups who already know one another.

As a person with ADHD, a smartphone could have completely changed my school experience, with all the calendars, reminders and storage facilities. I don't think a minority of children misusing them across the school day should prevent them from being utilised as they are meant to be.

I agree. Our school are bringing in the ban 6 weeks before exams and I do worry about how he will cope.

He very much relies on his phone to help him keep organised through the school day with calendars, trackers, notes, reminders, revision apps, flash cards.

He’s done really well in developing these life-skills using the tools available to him - many of which were suggested by the school - and I worry about how he will adapt to having it all taken away.

I actually think I'd complain to school, removing all those things just before exams is just cruel.

the nice thing about online groups is you can choose not to go there. I don't need a Mumsnet account at all in my life,.

But when you're told (by all the adults) that your social problems are your fault & the school/parents/govt say you have to go to school, then the nasty things people say to you in person daily at school, you're stuck with that. There is no way to avoid.

This is why I'd say nastiness online is a fairly easily avoided problem, and hugely much easier to deal with than any nastiness in person.,

I agree it’s unnecessary for adults, but I think the peer pressure on kids to have things like Snapchat and WhatsApp is massive. Of course they don’t need it, but feeling left out of conversations happening on social media is a powerful draw towards them.

Bullying in any form is awful, but online the danger is compounded by stranger danger. There is no way to tell if someone is who they claim to be.

And I totally disagree about avoiding bullies - at school there are (or should be) clear safeguards to manage bullying - and at 3pm, you can walk away.

If you are being bullied or manipulated online, it can be 24/7.

Children don’t have the maturity to deal with online dangers and many cannot rely on their parents to even recognise them, let alone mitigate them.

There is not one single good reason to give children smart phones.

when you're told (by all the adults) that your social problems are your fault

no idea what you mean by this.