Main teachers who did not ban smartphones are wrong, a senior Tory told Sky News – because she revealed that she did not allow her own children to have one before they were 16.
Laura Trott, the secretary of Shadow Education, said Politics with Sophy Ridge Smartphone use in schools is a ‘massive problem across the country’.
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She said there is “a lot of evidence” to show that the devices in classrooms lead to students getting lower GCSE degrees – but only 11% of schools have a full ban.
Ms Trott said she was so concerned about the impact of screen time, she said her own young children – twin boys who are six and a girl who is eight – they will get a smartphone before they are 16.
“I was very clear with them because I see all this evidence about what social media does to children, and they don’t get a smartphone before they’re 16,” she said.
“And they’re not so happy about it already.”
Australia has banned social media for under -16s – a move some want the UK to repeat. Photo: Istock
Government resistance to calls for prohibition
Ms Trott spoke before a failed conservative effort in the Commons for a law that would force head teachers to ban phones in schools.
The Labor Government has resisted such a step, and a Tory Amendment of the Welfare and Schools of the Children – also by MPs from other parties, was defeated by 317 votes to 159.
It was set to Ms Trott. The Tories often say that they have a proud record to trust head teachers to make decisions because they have used for most state schools to become academic under the promise to give them more freedom.
But she said that a smartphone ban is a ‘security problem’. Asked if this means that head teachers who did not forbade them did it wrong, Ms Trott said: “Yes, they have – absolutely.”
“The evidence is overwhelming,” she added.
“We know what the impact on children have, and therefore it is important that every school that is up and down in the country has this ban in place.”
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‘Parents ask for this’
Government guidance say schools should prohibit the use of cell phonesBut it is right for school leaders to make decisions about what works for their individual institutions.
Education Minister Stephen Morgan said during Monday’s debate in the Commons that the government’s monitoring will be strengthened – and accused the Tories of “jumping on the wagon wheel”.
Ms Trott denied that the amendment was a ‘gimmick’ and said: “Parents, teachers, children all ask for this.”
There were mixed studies on the merits of the ban of phones in classrooms.
In February, research by the University of Birmingham found the limitation of cell phones at school does not improve degrees or mental well -beingor reduce their overall screen time in a day.
But a study of last summer was found Schools that effectively prohibit cell phones.
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Earlier this month, an MP of the Backbench labor were forced to water down Proposed legislation to stop children from ‘Doom-Scroll’ so that it would receive government support.
Josh Macalister planned that his legislation with safer telephones included a ban on the devices in classrooms, a well that increased the ‘digital era of consent’ on which social media could be used to 16.
But in the midst of ministerial oppositionAsk the bill now for chief medical officers to review the evidence on the screen -based damage within a year – before deciding whether to be higher age restrictions.
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