by Lucy Ashton
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today set out how his party will legislate to make schools smartphone-free environments, as part of its plan to get Scottish education back to its best.
The party’s manifesto, to be published later this week, will enshrine the right of children to learn and teachers to teach by making every school a smartphone-free environment.
“But after 19 years of the SNP, Scottish education just isn’t what it used to be. Every week, I meet families worried that their child’s additional support needs aren’t being met, worried their teenager is frequently absent or worried about the violence in their schools. Fights and bullying are captured on phones and spread like wildfire. Our children deserve better.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats will legislate to make schools smartphone-free environments, so children can learn and teachers can teach. We need to make the cultural change that this requires – it’s just not fair to leave this up to headteachers and ministerial guidance any longer.
“Studies show the link between problematic smartphone use, poor mental health, and poor sleep amongst teens. Phones are a distraction, apps are built to be addictive, and there are relentless notifications. The classroom ought to offer a break to our young people from all of that – a bit of peace to learn, to focus, and properly connect with classmates and teachers.
“That’s why making schools smartphone-free is an essential part of the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ plan to get Scottish education back to its best.”
- The Dumbarton Democrat figure for daily average views today is 12.9K, and visitors to the website are 10K.