Conservative Party pushes for law change to ban smartphones from schools

The education secretary has rejected calls to ban smartphones in classrooms, as she branded the Conservative Party’s proposal a “headline-grabbing gimmick”.

Bridget Phillipson said she agreed that mobile phones should not be in lessons, but insisted that the opposition are wrong to say it can only be done by introducing legislation.

Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary, said: “We know that smartphones in the classroom have a negative impact on reading and educational attainment of children in general…

“Does the education secretary agree that children’s education outcomes are negatively affected by smartphones? And if she does will she back our amendment to ban them from the classroom for good?”

Phillipson responded: “I agree that phones have no place in the classroom. It is entirely right that schools take firm action to stop their use. And I know that that is what the vast majority of schools already do. As the right honourable lady just said, last July, they said that they didn’t need to legislate in this area. Nothing has changed in this time.

“I backed the approach that they took in July in this area. Yet again, another headline-grabbing gimmick. No plans to drive up standards in our schools.”

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