A ban on mobile phone use in Victorian public primary and secondary schools aimed at curbing distraction and cyber-bullying has been supported in Wagga.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The ban, which would be in place during school hours, will start in the first term of 2020.
The NSW government announced in December that mobile phones will be banned in public primary schools from next year, in response to an expert review.
Wagga parent Janet Moriarty called for all schools to ban the use of mobile phones in and outside of the classroom.
"I think schools should really have the welfare of kids at the forefront and ban mobile phones in the classroom and even in the playground," Mrs Moriarty said.
"My kids go to a private school, but my year 7 daughter does not need a phone and I know children who have mobile phones and they have an addiction, it's the only way to describe it.
"Research shows mobile phones and social media are taking place of other addicted behaviours, like substance abuse, and you would think that adolescents' mental health would improve but it's not because it is impacting on neuro-chemical pathways of the developing brain."
Mrs Moriarty said she is concerned about mobile phone use in teenagers and the damaging consequences to the developing brain.
"The brain is so vulnerable to addiction and the impact of social media where girls are constantly looking for approval and online gaming is a huge issue for boys," she said.
"I noticed a change in my 12-year-old daughter's behaviour; if it's not school work, the device is not used."
Mrs Moriarty said arguments surrounding contact during school hours and using mobile devices as learning tools are void.
"Given how much computer access kids have, I would think that argument is void," she said.
"Keeping in touch with your child, if you have to, you do to the office like we used to do a generation ago.
"It's more the teenage brain aged from 12 to 22 years old and having access to that technology is so harmful, schools need to limit that in order to minimise the harm."
Charles Sturt University Wagga full-time lecturer in educational technology Dr Jacquie Tinkler said the ban still allows teachers to have mobile phones and use them in class for learning.
"Mobile phones are not banned outright and I think that is probably a good mix as schools are concerned about the high rates of cyber-bullying and high distraction," Dr Tinkler said.
"Having phones not available unless they are needed is probably a good balance.
"It's very difficult for parents to ban mobiles at home, whereas in school it's a little bit more straight forward; I think it will decrease some access, but it's not going to address cyber-bullying in the evening at home."
Dr Tinkler said schools should be teaching students how to manage their phones as well as the ethics and privacy aspects, without students having phones in their hands.
A NSW Department of Education spokesperson said the restriction on mobile phones in state secondary schools is the decision of individual communities.
"In order to ensure adequate time for consultation with school communities, this restriction will be implemented in primary schools on a voluntary pilot basis from Term 3 2019, with full mandatory implementation to occur in all NSW government primary schools from Term 1 2020," the spokesperson said.
"Students who require access to a mobile phone because of a disability or other health issue will be exempt.
"The use of devices in all public secondary schools will be governed by a new acceptable and responsible policy in 2020 but schools will not be obliged to restrict the use of digital devices under this policy."