Why I don't believe smartphones should be banned in UK schools

Our education specialist Amber Allott gives her thoughts on proposals to ban smartphones in UK schools.

Transcript

00:00Hello, my name is Amber Allitt, and I'm a journalist specialising in education.

00:04At the moment, there's a new bill making its way through Parliament which is aiming to legally ban mobile phones from schools.

00:10Now, many schools already have either bans or guidelines for use in place,

00:15but the bill's backers remain concerned about its potential impacts on young people.

00:19These include being distracted from your lessons, the potential for cyberbullying and, that's, mental health impacts,

00:25and, of course, young people being reeled into doomscrolling by addictively designed apps.

00:30Here are two reasons why I disagree with a total ban in schools.

00:35First of all, technology is already a huge and ever-present part of most people's lives.

00:41We use it constantly for fun as well as for work or to study or complete your school assignments, things like that.

00:47A total ban means that children are missing out on the opportunity for practical, hands-on learning.

00:54Our phones can connect us with some really important resources and useful tools,

00:59but people need a good sense of digital literacy to learn how to use them effectively.

01:04This makes sure that they're getting accurate information.

01:07And on top of that, young people need to learn to use them safely and ethically,

01:12especially when it comes to the potential perils of social media.

01:16Next, I'm sure that, like me, you sometimes find yourself looking at your phone or scrolling when you really shouldn't be.

01:22My first phone was admittedly a flip phone without any real apps,

01:26but growing up, teachers were always adamant about not using it at school.

01:30The second I was out of class, I was phone in hand, and I still struggle to self-regulate my use.

01:36It's something that I think can truly only be learned through the experience of having access to your phone

01:41but building up those good habits yourself.