Highland Council takes a step closer to banning mobile phones in schools as members unanimously agree to consult on a new region-wide policy
Highland Council has taken a step closer to banning mobile phones in schools after members unanimously agree to consult on a new region-wide policy.
Councillors Michael Gregson and Helen Crawford expressed their “delight” after no changes were proposed to their motion meaning it passed without debate.
At the moment, it is understood that Nairn Academy and Grantown Grammar have restrictions on mobiles while Moray Council just banned them as well.
Under the Highland Council’s provision a full consultation will be run by schools that will involve pupils, parents, teachers and staff.
Cllrs Gregson and Crawford said that will “ensure the development of policy at local level, in order to agree what the appropriate use of mobile phones should be for their particular areas”.
They also wanted the council to “further commit to give fulsome support to schools seeking to implement a ban on pupil use of phones during the school day”.
Cllr Gregson said: “We want to protect our children and young people, and to give them the best educational opportunities. As the London School of Economics emphasises, in addition to staff consistency, there has to be support from families, and alignment with home routines, as well as consent from pupils.
“What the Psychologists are calling emotional dysregulation, and pupil disengagement are very real in our classrooms. This is catastrophic. The fact is that nearly a quarter of children spend more than four hours a day on an internet-enabled device.
“And a child’s average screen time and social media use rises in single-parent and low-income families. We do not want a digital divide between kids who are exposed to the online world without guardrails, and parents who have more time to monitor their children’s use.
“We are delighted that schools across Highland now have the full backing of the Highland Council when they implement a ban on pupil use of phones during the school day”.
“He added: “At the end of the day, we all want our kids to thrive and having the constant distraction of a mobile phone clearly does not help. Let’s get these phones out of schools and let’s free up our kids to concentrate and learn.”
