Smart Phone Bans In Schools – Yes or NO?
Parents Vs Phones In Schools
Everything in our lives these days is in competition with mobile phones, from our families to our education. So, it is no wonder that parents are hoping to instil smart phone bans in schools. But, would this really work and what is the thinking behind it?
Mobile phones are no longer an enhancement for social activity like they once were. Now mobile phones are a way for people to stay connected, and without a mobile phone, you can be missing out on the world. In some ways, a mobile phone is a bit like having a ticket to the world in your pocket. But, the freedom phones give us is not why parents want them banned in schools.
Let’s do a deep dive into why!
The Thinking Behind Smart Phone Bans
A group in Wales was started and named ‘Smartphone free childhood’. This group have petitioned for children to be free from smartphones in schools, and there have already been 1,500 people backing up the appeal for schools to be a smartphone-free zone for children. Some parents have even noted that they do not wish to give their children phones for their wellbeing, but end up doing so anyway because otherwise their child is ‘isolated’ to a degree.
Many parents are worried, and it is no surprise. Anyone can see that these days most of us live through our smart devices, but what does this mean for children who grow up already living through their phones? A big worry for many parents is that this means that children won’t only grow up living through their phones but that it will damage their ability to socialise healthily.
Wales Online already covered this story, in which they noted that the Welsh movement had somewhat taken inspiration from the conversation going on in England back around the time that it was a budding idea.
What Are The Dangers Of Excessive Smart Phone Use In Youth?
Smartphones can impact us in a variety of ways, but for children with still-developing brains, it is more dire. Excessive smartphone use can affect children in the following ways:
- Cyberbullying.
- Screen addiction.
- Sleep disturbances.
- Poor self-image through social media-based comparisons.
- Fear of missing out.
- Privacy concerns.
- Reduction in face-to-face interaction.
Concerns go beyond this also. As excessive smart phone use becomes so normalised in today’s society, one child that reduces smartphone use could end up ostracised from their peers for simply not having a smart phone.
But, since in the working world and adult world smart phones are so heavily used, why does it make sense to restrict use in childhood?
Congitive Learning & Why It Matters
As children grow from young to adult, including in their teen years, the brain is growing and developing. These are the most important times in their lives. Adoption UK shows the ripple effect that not having core needs met as a child can have:
Above you see the ‘Table of Needs’, an important aspect of child learning and cognition that should never be ignored.
This shows us the importance of the simplest needs a child have in their youth and how it can impact their mental health and social capabilities later on. It also further highlights the importance of schools being aware of ensuring a child’s needs are met when they are in an educational environment. This way even if the child’s home environment causes them some hindrance, their school life can help them develop.
Okay, but what does this have to do with smart phones?
Well, let’s say that if a child is introduced to smart technology between two to five years old, this could damage their social skills and play bricks in the wall. Later on, this could cause issues in friendships, independence, learning and perhaps even love. Into adulthood, this can further cause damage to their ability to build healthy relationships, have emotional regulation, and connect with colleagues, friends, and family healthily.
Therefore, it is understandable why parents may be concerned about the excessive use of smartphones in younger generations. While it is harder to avoid in the teen years, younger children having access to smartphones all the time could be damaging. This is said even though a majority of our world is now accessible and managed via social apps and media.
There are enough factors that could impact a child having a full, healthy ‘wall’, without throwing social media and smart technology into the mix. If we can keep smart technology at arm’s length, our children may have a better chance.
Challenges Of A Smart Phone Ban
One of the biggest challenges that will be faced if this petition gets enough backing will be implementing it. Implementing something as strict as school hours-specific smart phone bans won’t be easy. Especially when whole generations spend several hours a day attached to their phones.
Would it be possible for schools to have a locker system for mobile phones? Could schools do spot checks for phones? And what would this mean in the event of emergencies when families need to contact students? Would this require more heavily staffed school reception desks?
You could argue that we went without smartphones before, and should be able to go without again. But, in our changing world, is it possible to go back to how things were before smartphones? Probably not. So, how do we continue our smartphone lifestyles but implement more thorough regulation in use?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments!