Categories: News

National’s controversial cell phone ban

Banning cell phones in all schools is the latest policy in National’s education plan to raise eyebrows among educators.

<h2><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Mid-last week&comma; National Party leader Christopher Luxon confirmed their plan to ban all cell phones in schools&comma; prompting a flurry of discussion across the country&period; Many education leaders are calling such a policy unnecessary&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Luxon cited declining achievement rates as the reason behind the move&period; He said the policy would see full day bans of cell phones at primary&comma; intermediate and high schools&period; Students with accessibility and health issues would be exempt from the ban&period; Enforcement and penalties for breaking the ban would be left to individual schools&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener"><strong>Read the Term 3 edition of <em>School News<&sol;em> HERE<&sol;strong><&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Our major problem in New Zealand is student achievement&&num;8230&semi; I am here to improve academic achievement for our kids so they are set up for a much better future&period; Phones are a massive disturbance and distraction and we’re going to take it off the table&comma;” Luxon told Breakfast&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The policy states that students who require cell phones as an aide to learning&comma; or for health purposes&comma; would be exempt from the ban&period; Parents would be expected to contact their child during school hours via the school office&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">But Education Minister Jan Tinetti called the policy &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;unnecessary”&comma; stating the policy &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;shows a lack of understanding of how schools operate in New Zealand&period;”<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;27490" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-27490" style&equals;"width&colon; 1024px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"wp-image-27490 size-large" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2023&sol;08&sol;AdobeStock&lowbar;184785446-1024x683&period;jpeg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"1024" height&equals;"683" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-27490" class&equals;"wp-caption-text">AdobeStock by carballo<&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Tinetti said that a ban on phones in schools would undermine schools’ individual decision-making&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Papatoetoe High School Principal and Secondary Principals’ Association Vaughan Couillault agreed with Tinetti&comma; telling AM that centralised control over phones in schools wasn’t needed as many schools had their own policies&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Couillault added that at his school&comma; phones were sometimes needed to complete classwork and assignments&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;In some lessons they’re away and you don’t see them the whole lesson and other lessons they might be engaged in videoing &lbrack;a classmate&rsqb; doing a speech or performing at sport&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;A piece of legislation that bans &lbrack;phones&rsqb; won’t instantly stop &lbrack;inappropriate use&rsqb; overnight&comma; it will create conflict&comma; it will create a legal requirement for us to confiscate rather than to educate and train students on how to use things appropriately&period;”<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Couillault added that enforcement would also be an issue&comma; and the compulsory nature of such a ban would create huge burden for some schools&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Although many schools already have cell phone bans in place&comma; some schools such as Albany Senior High School have a &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;sensible use” policy instead&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Albany Senior High School Principal Claire Amos told the New Zealand Herald that &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;we are supporting young adults to self-manage&comma; so they should have their phones but also learn how to ensure they don’t become distractions&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Students have a lifetime of device ownership ahead&period; I think we need to be realistic that they can be learning tools and that young people can learn to manage them&period;” <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;27491" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-27491" style&equals;"width&colon; 1024px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"wp-image-27491 size-large" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2023&sol;08&sol;AdobeStock&lowbar;52158140-1024x683&period;jpeg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"1024" height&equals;"683" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-27491" class&equals;"wp-caption-text">Phone bans could encourage more illict&comma; unauthorised or off-task use&period; Photo&colon; AdobeStock by Monkey Business&period;<&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">President of the New Zealand Principals’ Federation Leanne Otene added that schools are already managing the use of cell phones&comma; instating bans where necessary&period; Bans and cell phone use should be &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;applied with common sense&comma;” she said&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">In secondary schools&comma; Otene added that rangatahi needed tools to manage their digital wellbeing&comma; and a cell phone ban would be ineffective in that context&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">International evidence is mixed as to the efficacy of cell phone bans&period; Earlier this year&comma; UNESCO released a <&sol;span><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;theguardian&period;com&sol;world&sol;2023&sol;jul&sol;26&sol;put-learners-first-unesco-calls-for-global-ban-on-smartphones-in-schools" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none">report on technology in schools<&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&comma; calling for a &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;learner-centred” approach to education that ensured face-to-face contact and the social dimension of learning was not uprooted or supplanted by technology&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">The report found there was little evidence to support the benefits of technology in the classroom&comma; despite widespread uptake in the OECD&period; It stated there was a &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;negative link” between excessive digital presence and student performance&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;27492" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-27492" style&equals;"width&colon; 2560px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"wp-image-27492 size-full" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2023&sol;08&sol;AdobeStock&lowbar;168789627-scaled&period;jpeg" alt&equals;"" width&equals;"2560" height&equals;"1707" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-27492" class&equals;"wp-caption-text">AdobeStock by nenetus&period;<&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Meanwhile&comma; other evidence on cell phone use is mixed&period; There are cell phone bans in several countries&comma; including France&comma; Australia and China&period; But some experts conclude that cell phone bans are ineffective because there is an <&sol;span><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;bates&period;edu&sol;news&sol;2018&sol;03&sol;23&sol;why-banning-cellphones-in-schools-misses-the-point&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none">issue of enforcement<&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&period; Bans are not enforced equally across schools&comma; or even across classrooms within schools&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Of the studies available&comma; one found a slight link between <&sol;span><a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;chrome-extension&sol;&sol;efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj&sol;https&colon;&sol;&sol;cep&period;lse&period;ac&period;uk&sol;pubs&sol;download&sol;dp1350&period;pdf" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank"><span data-contrast&equals;"none">mobile phone bans and improved academic achievement<&sol;span><&sol;a><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&comma; though this relationship did not hold true for top achieving students&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;

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Naomii Seah

Naomii Seah is a writer and journalist from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. She has been covering education in New Zealand since 2022.

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