Teenagers are planning how to circumvent the coming mobile phone ban in NSW schools, saying that policy ignores how students use the technology to socialise and learn.
On Monday, NSW Premier Chris Minns said his government’s flagship policy of banning phones in public school classrooms, recesses and lunchtimes will start from term four this year. He said the ban would remove distractions from the classroom.
“I know a lot of adults who find it difficult to concentrate when a mobile phone is in front of them, so I don’t know why we expect children to have that kind of discipline in them,” he said.
NSW students, speaking pseudonymously to Crikey due to their age, said the ban would make school harder — or, in cases where a school had already banned devices, already had.
Year 12 student Noah said that his school banned phones when he was in Year 9 or Year 10 after students had filmed themselves fighting. The ban made it harder for shy students like him: “I used to have trouble interacting with people so after the phone got banned I used to spend the entirety of recess and lunch in the bathroom.”
Amelia, who is in Year 8, said students were using mobile phones for important tasks like contacting their parents, socialising or looking up educational resources: “Some girls need them to message their parents if they’ve forgotten their pads, etc. The teachers always say that we can ask them but not everyone is comfortable doing so.”
Amelia uses her phone for music during school hours to help her concentrate: “I’ll be so pissed if my phone gets taken away.”
Multiple teenagers, including Year 8 student Isla, told Crikey students are planning or are already sidestepping rules against phones.
“My friends are now buying [smart] watches so they can call, text, listen to music. Students have multiple ways to text, call people even if it doesn’t involve a phone,” Isla said.
Noah said: “Over time we’ve mastered sneaking them into class. Hiding it behind the pencil case, pretending to look for something in my bag, even using a calculator case to cover up.”
Students in states where governments have banned phones share on TikTok creative ways of accessing their phones in schools. In South Australia, the government has spent tens of thousands of dollars buying Yondr pouches for students, which purportedly lock phones. Videos show students “hacking” the pouches by smashing them against the ground to open them.
Year 10 student Jordan was frustrated about the “ridiculous ban” including lunchtimes and recess rather than just during class. He said the blanket ban could stop students from getting calls from family or friends in an emergency. (Other school bans typically allow students to access their phone if there is an emergency.)
“They could approach this by the students having to give the teachers their phone at the start of class … and receive it back after the lesson,” he proposed.
Noah acknowledged some good had come out of the ban, but said students at his school had initially protested against it.
Isla said the ban policy goes against the wishes of students: “It feels as if we have no say and whatever happens we don’t matter. School is supposed to feel like a safe and happy place but whenever I go into that environment, I feel anxious, depressed and angry.”
