UniHigh's phone ban is held up inconsistently

By Aimee garner

At Unihigh, it’s easy to know which teachers to dodge when you’re on your phone and which are more lenient. So it’s fair to question how consistently the phone ban is held up at Unihigh? 

The phone ban is compulsory in every government school, statewide in Victoria. This ban has been implemented since the start of the school year in 2020. The Victorian Government website states that the aim of the policy  is to create ‘a safe environment to learn without inappropriate mobile phone use (including cyberbullying) or distractions’ and ‘greater opportunities for social interaction and physical activity during recess and lunch times.’ Do teachers think the ban is necessary, hence why some aren’t as strict? Will students constantly disobey the rules no matter what? Or is it a case of teachers having higher priorities than some kids glued to their phones?

A survey conducted with 24 teachers, which is a small sample size, but ranges from lots of grade levels. 54.2% of the teachers strongly agreed that the phone ban was necessary as  ‘they are highly addictive’  and  ‘ using them all the time is LAME, and CRINGE.’(Quote from an individual response).  Teachers found from personal experience that using phones negatively affects concentration and their students' engagement. But some teachers found that phones can be used for good in the classroom and would rather a student use their phone to participate in a class activity than not. A survey conducted with 86 student participants, 38.4% of students strongly disagreed with the phone ban and 31.4% of students disagreed with it. This shows that a large number of students are in disagreement with the phone ban and most are possibly breaking the rules. A lot of students said they agreed with the fact it was banned in classes, but there should be expectations and mostly said they shouldn’t be banned during break. 

When it’s time for lunch and recess is it still really a problem for students to be on their phones? 66.7% of teachers agreed that phones should be banned during break and 33.3% of the teachers disagreed. A teacher commented on how ‘Students struggle with anxiety and don't have many friends’ therefore ‘finding solace in watching YouTube, or possibly contacting their parents for comfort.’ But teachers were mostly in support of how students should be encouraged to interact with each other and stay away from their phones. 89.5% of students agreed that phones shouldn’t be banned during break and how it’s ‘necessary to reply to an urgent message’ and how ‘break isn't really a learning time’ which is why they should be allowed to have phones. But one of the 10.5% of people that wanted phones banned during break said that ‘It's good for people to socialise and talk to each other’ and phones could take away from that. 

What do these results tell us?

The results suggest that most teachers do agree with the phone ban but each have their own personal opinion on what is crossing a line and when phones should be used. Some teachers don’t mind seeing phones on desks, or seeing kids use them for music. But it’s concluded that teachers draw the line at inappropriate use of phones and are starting to crack down harder on mobile phones. 

So if you’re a student who is against banning phones in school, hide your phone better.