UK Education Secretary Backs Ban on Smartphones in Schools

Bridget Phillipson emphasizes the harmful impact of social media and calls for stricter enforcement of phone restrictions in classrooms.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has declared that smartphones are disruptive and should be removed from all classrooms in England.
Phillipson tasked officials to assess how phone restriction policies are being enforced and to gather data on compliance across schools.
ASCL President Manny Botwe criticized social media platforms for enabling bullying, deepfake misuse, and extremist content, calling for stronger regulation of tech companies.
A survey of teachers revealed widespread issues with students using social media inappropriately, including bullying, viewing harmful content, and recording others without consent.
Phillipson and Botwe both highlighted broader challenges in education, including absenteeism, funding shortages, and teacher retention, urging immediate action to address these issues.