Mobile phone ban in Highland schools moves step closer as former teacher warns of 'catastrophic' effects on pupils
Highland Council will soon be asking for views on mobile phone-use in schools after an ex-teacher spoke of the 'catastrophic' effects they have in classrooms.
Joint proposals tabled by Michael Gregson, who is now an Inverness councillor, to hold a consultation with the 'whole school community' on the use of devices have been unanimously approved.
Included in the plan is the council's commitment to supporting Highland schools that decide to ban pupils from using the devices in classrooms.
The proposals have not called for an outright ban, but the authors have made their voices clear that schools would be better without the 'constant distraction' of phones.
Inverness councillor Mr Gregson, who previously taught at Inverness Royal Academy, highlighted the current effects of phone-use in classrooms to councillors.
The former English teacher said 'we are in an age of fragmented attention span' and the 'highly addictive nature of smartphones is having a lasting effect on children's brains.'
Mr Gregson described the current situation as 'catastrophic' and called for Highland Council to 'address the power of mobile phones.'
He proposed the local authority consult the 'whole school community' and develop a policy for phones in schools which teachers could adopt or adapt.
He referenced a recent workshop by Bernadette Cairns, the principal educational psychologist at the council, who found there to be 'dysregulation and disengagement' in Highland classrooms.
Mr Gregson also referenced the current 'abusive use of mobile phones' in Scottish schools.
It comes after a Moray teacher spoke out about being filmed in school and shared online by pupils without her consent.
Aird and Loch Ness councillor Helen Crawford co-signed the proposals and said this was also an issue in Highland schools.
She called unwarranted photos or videos of teachers in the classroom 'entirely inappropriate and disrespectful'.
Councillor Crawford added the footage is used to 'bully or embarrass' teachers and hopes a ban on phones 'will ensure that comes to an end.'
The newly agreed proposal will see the council seek 'meaningful conversations' with school managers, parents, teachers and pupils for their views on phone-use in schools.
Both councillors stressed this does not necessarily mean an outright ban, but hopes a consultation will be a step towards getting 'these phones out of our schools.'
Nairn Academy and Grantown Grammar School have both already implemented their own individual bans on phones.
In the Highlands every child is given a Chromebook laptop, and both Mr Gregson and Mrs Crawford say this removes the 'need for phones as educational tools.'
The cross-party proposal faced no opposition in the chamber and officers will begin work on preparing the consultation.
Both Labour councillor Michael Gregson and Conservative councillor Helen Crawford said they were 'delighted.'
Speaking after the result, Mrs Crawford said: 'I'm delighted that schools across Highland now have the full backing of Highland Council when they implement a ban on the use of mobile phones during the school day.
'At the end of the day, we want all our kids to thrive and having the constant distraction of a mobile phone clearly does not help.'
She added: 'Let's get these phones out of our schools and let's free up our kids to concentrate and learn.'
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