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.

I do think people look at the past with rose tinted glasses.

There wasn't phone boxes "everywhere". They were in places with a lot of people. I had a 40 minute journey to school (10 minute walk, 25 minutes bus, 5 minute walk). The only phone box in that whole time was near the school.

And who to ring? Unless you had a stay at home parent... they would be at work, or on the way to work. If they worked in an office, they might have a phone you could ring.

We learnt to be self sufficient because we had to.

Mobile phones started to become more mainstream when I was in Secondary school. I can remember the one time my Dad phoned me on it, 10 minutes after school. September 11th, 2001, with the message to go straight home and to tell my friends to do the same (we lived in London).

Saying that, I do think mobiles do make life a lot easier. There is just no need for the vast majority to use them during the school day.

Calling mum at least enables Mum to arrange a taxi to get her to school or leave work and get her or get a friend to help her out.

Admittedly the bus driver shouldn't have left her, especially as it was school transport. He should have sorted the ticket situation once they got to school.

But ultimately things happens, transport goes wrong. Roads get closed. Parents get held up.
The very first day back at school the road between school and the village was closed for hours due to an accident.
So ALL the buses were off. Kids were left to deal with the situation themselves, including kids in first year barely knowing their way round the school never mind getting themselves home.

People have issues with "phones" what they really have an issue with is social media.

I went to school 20 miles away and there was no public transport within 3 miles of my house. There were pay phones (with the reverse charge number) which are few & far between, but we managed.

Missed trains meant finding a phone and reversing the charges if you didn’t have money. The guard would let you on and take your details for someone to buy a ticket later.

None of that happens now because we have mobiles - if kids no longer have them, then bus companies will have to change their systems away from digital passes and introduce better ways to deal with stranded kids.

If parents refuse to buy smart phones you can bet your ass the tech companies will build dumb phones with trackers or limited wallets inside them.

But unless we collectively say no to smart phones for kids, they will continue to sling us harmful tech at outrageous prices.

That's a very good point on smartphone education lessons. Not something I'd thought about but absolutely Yes.

And what to do and what not to do if they are sent inappropriate photos.

As a teachers I’m torn. I worry the genie is out of the bottle. There are so many helpful and positive uses for their phone, photographing work, checking timetables, quick access to quizzes.

However, many kids show elements of screen addiction and will constantly ask to go to the loo to get in their phone. Many issues we have with bullying, inappropriate photos and videos all happen in a school where phone should be seen and not heard. They’re rare thankfully but parents do insist we follow up comments and issues made on Snap/whatsapp etc.

My overriding feeling they should be handed in and locked away in the morning and handed back at the end of the day. It would also help us keep students in their after school detention if we had their phone until 4.30. Many parents won’t support this though.

Ours has pouches to lock them in as they go into school and unlock them as they come out. I think that should be done in every school, they need them for walking home (my DD has phoned before when she tripped and hurt her ankle so needed collecting partway home) but definitely don't need to be glued to them when they should be socialising on breaks or videoing bullying etc.

Why is she in the streets in the daytime?
Is this in the UK?

They get this in pshe now. I think parents need to educate themselves, though. Some of them really don't understand what their children ger up to.

When DD was at school she had to turn the phone off and keep it in her bag all day. No phones at all during school hours. She told me the toilets were where you use the phone illicitly.

She also said that the ban encouraged the students to talk to each other and have good conversations during the dinner break (if they weren't hiding in the loo) so in some ways it's good.

Depends what you need by ban. No phones on the premises at all, I don't support (though I can see the logic in it). Phones in bags, turned off and confiscated if found to be used without permission, totally fair enough.

At DDs school, phones must be off and in their bags all day. Phone is confiscated if seen.

However, many do not follow this rule; a friend says her DD feels pressured within her friendship group to go on her phone at lunchtime. It’s better to be in the plastics…

DD is autistic and needs her phone for the bus ride home. She likes to check in with DH and I, and we have to offer to reassurance. Although this is becoming less as she moves towards more independence.

I would support a smartphone ban. We would get DD a basic phone to take so she can still contact us on her journey home. An outright ban would be problematic, DD would absolutely not speak to a stranger, but it’s something she would have to learn to try and do.

I agree, but it means you have to have a very tough toilet policy, though, because they go to the toilet in lessons to use their phones.

I do- off and in bags. Then after school/ before school we can update each other on change of collection times etc. and why smartphone? So I can see where they are and on / occasions, see where they are when lost!!! (Child not phone)

I think it’s helpful to be able to communicate with your Dc. My eldest goes to school nine miles away and there’s no public transport. If he wants to be with friends after school or if there is something on he can give me a quick call to check someone can give him a lift later. I’d be fine with a dumb phones in school/ off in bag/ locked in a pouch. They do use phones a bit for class work.

I honestly think the rules around social media should be tightened up. Should be 16. It shouldn't be down to schools to police it.

My overriding feeling they should be handed in and locked away in the morning and handed back at the end of the day

That's unworkable in a school with 1500 pupils and only ten minutes between the end of school and when the school bus leaves (rural areas with poor public transport).

What?! I never once called my parents when I was at school. Or after school.

Or when I went out in the evenings or when I was out all day with friends. What nonsense!

Yes it’s the parents that are the problem… I personally think that is why the government needs to step in and make more laws to actually protect children online.

I 100% agree there needs to be more laws about protecting kids on line. I also find it ludicrous that at 13 kids can disable parental controls.

Yeah. My son managed to infiltrate our parental controls and somehow change himself to the manager of the whole system. He was around 13. It’s such a battle.

They are just more techy than us. It is ridiculous.

Oh God that's verging on funny 😁
But seriously it's nuts that at 13 'in line with your countries laws, your child can turn of parental controls'

I agree. Some are completely unaware and never monitor phone use, never mind put controls on.

Not supporting. Just a smart watch for tracking and emergency phone call/ payment

This is brilliant. And puts paid to all the 'it's unworkable' comments. Invest some money in pouches like this and reap all the dividends in terms of focus, social skills and improved attainment. Have exclusions where kids may have a specific medical or social need where a phone is essential. Kids have phones for travel, if parents so wish, and obviously parents set their own limits or none outwith school according to their views. I can't see any reasonable argument against this approach.

Watch the "social dilemma" on Netflix.

Creators of current tech (ex Apple employees) saying they would never let their child have an iPad or an iPhone made me rethink all my childs access to the internet or screens.

It is very good but very scary.