Should mobile phones be banned in school?

High schools across the island are now holding parent meetings and consultations after Education Minister Graham Cregeen told Tynwald that it was up to individual schools to decide on the issue rather than having an island-wide ban on students bringing in their phones.

The Examiner asked residents for their views.

’I don’t think mobile phones are necessary in school,’ said Michelle Pascoe from Douglas. ’Children should be concentrating on their school work.

’The Isle of Man is a small community. Students don’t need to be constantly contacting one another and it would be nice for children to interact with one another by talking face to face.

’I have a 25 and a 13-year-old. There’s a real issue when it comes to mobile phones with the younger one. If you take your kid’s phone away it’s like you’ve cut their hands off!

’I agree that they are a convenience and yes it’s nice to be able to get a hold of your children when you need them, but I remember the old-fashioned days when you would go into reception if you needed to phone someone.’

Port Erin resident, Ethan Kiernan, is a 16-year-old student from King William’s College near Castletown.

He said: ’I think students should have phones, but not in lessons. What happens if you have a game cancelled and need to be picked up? At school, teachers take phones off students if they have them out in lessons. They then have to go to the principal’s office, but people just use their phones anyway but don’t get caught. The school has banned them in the lower years, but the kids still have them.’

Lydia Rivlin from Onchan, a retired teacher and university lecturer, said: ’Students should have their mobiles handed in like they would with their bags at the door. Schools could have a mobile phone bank.

’There are two reasons why they should be banned.

’First is kids cannot show off with the phone by saying "my phone is better than yours".

’The next is to stop them from playing whatever is the current game.

’There’s a chance that mobile phones could save lives in an emergency, but you need to compare that against the damage and impact that phones can do in a classroom.’

Friends Laura Eckersley, 25, from Douglas, and Samantha Cubbon, 30, from Onchan don’t think a ban would be hugely effective.

Samantha said: ’It would be impossible to manage.’

Laura agreed, saying: ’Too many kids are on their phones, if you ban them they are going to bring it in anyway. Instead, make it positive. Maybe schools could put some rules in place to let students keep their phones. For instance, hand them in at the start of the day and get them back later.

’I understand phones can be a distraction in school, but what are they going to do if they miss their bus? They need a phone to call someone. Also, some schools allow kids to have iPads, but now they are look at banning phones?’

Ian Shanahan, 37, from Douglas said: ’They shouldn’t have mobiles in classroom, but they should have it in school. It’s up to the parents’ discretion, but I don’t see why it should be taken away for that amount of time during the day.’

His friends Mark Terris, 29, from Douglas said; ’Having their phones constantly buzzing and beeping in their pockets, they’re going to get distracted.

’When students are in school, their mobiles should definitely be kept in a locker.’