Mobile phones banned in Victoria state schools to combat bullying, reduce distraction
The Victorian government will ban mobile phone use in state primary and secondary schools from next year in a bid to combat cyber bullying and reduce distraction in classrooms (The Age).
Key points
- Victorian Education Minister James Merlino says ban will “remove a major distraction” and help tackle cyber bullying
- Merlino cites Headspace research that found 53% of young Australians have experienced cyber bullying
- NSW government has already banned mobiles in primary schools
- Federal education minister Dan Tehan wants states to ban mobiles from classrooms
Other states will be watching closely how this plays out. But big tech execs appear to agree with the decision. Variations on this 2011 New York Times article detailing how those working for tech companies like to send their kids to tech-free schools, have emerged many times over the last eight years. Closer to home, Merlino’s move is controversial and has divided opinion, with students arguing that it will not tackle cyber bullying and that instead kids should be taught how to use phones responsibly and effectively if that is the aim.
There could be physical health benefits, if anyone still believes the ‘mobile phones making kids grow horns’ story that did the rounds and later debunked as bad science. (If anything, the horns story illustrates that adults, just as much as children, need educating on how to use the internet, social media and how to navigate misinformation.)
Victoria has made a bold call. A year's worth of data will help inform whether or not it makes any difference.
