Parents and experts weigh in on high school mobile phone ban debate

Debate has ramped up once again around whether mobile phones should be allowed in high schools as life gets back to normal for students following COVID-19 lockdowns.

The discussion was recently raised after a child psychologist called for Australia's state governments to impose a blanket ban on mobile phones in high schools.

Schools that have already introduced their own restrictions have also spoken out to reveal how game-changing they are and a growing chorus of adults are calling for a blanket ban on mobile phones in high schools too, with some children also jumping on the bandwagon.

"They're actually crying out to be able to switch off without being judged by their peers," Canley Vale High School Deborah Santucci told A Current Affair.

In Sydney, Santucci introduced Yondr pouches for her students to place their phones in last year.

"Originally it was teachers that brought it up as a discussion point because what we were finding was that we were having management issues in classrooms," Santucci said. 

When students arrive, they tap a magnet to open their pouch, pop their phone inside and then keep it locked, until they leave at the end of the day.

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"Students are more engaged, the distractions (are) gone. We probably have 10 more minutes in every single lesson gained through better engagement, through better teaching and learning, the issues in the classroom have basically disappeared," the principal said. 

The school acquired 780 devices before rolling out the ban to ensure their students weren't at a technological disadvantage. 

The school captains seemed to be in favour of the ban too.

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"I think I need this, definitely, because personally I'm not very disciplined, so If I have the pouches it'll be easier," school co-captain Herman said.

"After the Yondr pouch was introduced I start(ed) seeing myself making more friends and talking with my friends," fellow co-captain Tararith said. 

Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg, who led a 2018 review into mobiles in schools, has ramped up his stance and wants governments to ban them from all high schools.

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"I want what the NSW government hasn't done, but the Victorian, West Australian and Tasmanian governments have done," Carr-Gregg said.

"And it is an absolute no-brainer. This is from the university of the bleeding obvious – you ban the use of mobile phones from the first bell, to last, including recess and lunchtime.

"The research shows, having a mobile phone in a school, when you are trying to learn, it's a distraction."

A Current Affair's forum on mobile phone bans

When A Current Affair conducted a forum with parents, students, a professor and tech expert Trevor Long, not everyone agreed.

"I don't think a blanket ban is going to solve anyone's problems," Long said.

"In fact, I think … it creates a black market of technology where kids are going to find technology, or take technology without people knowing at school; then they're going to use it more outside of school."

"I guess I'm one of those people who do not believe in an external blanket ban of mobile phones," Professor Pasi Sahlberg from Southern Cross University said.

"I do think that we can do much better than just the binary solution yes or no in this case."

Cyber safety consultant and mum, Jen Hoey, said she supports a government blanket ban. 

"My concern is very much about the exposure to inappropriate content at school which my daughter has confirmed as a real problem," Hoey said. 

Dany Elachi, who runs Heads Up Alliance, said she doesn't allow her kids to have mobile phones at all.

"It's wonderful that they get to come home and then turn their attention to the relationships within the family," Elachi said. 

The bad seems to outweigh the good for some.

"They (students) look happy, they are happy; there are less social media and cyberbullying issues that we've noticed," Santucci said.

"We've taken them back to the old days and they're truly re-engaging."