Kerre Woodham: The phone ban is working - let's get on with banning vapes

So the Government's 'Phones Away For The Day' regulations came into force in state schools and kura at the beginning of term two. Schools must ensure students do not use or access a phone while they're attending school, including during lunch time and breaks.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the policy before the election last year and there were the typical naysayers saying that'll never work. How can you enforce it, the children need their phones to be able to contact their parents, it's going to put more pressure on teachers, and so on and so forth.

The ban was part of National's plan to eliminate distractions and lift achievement within schools. And the press release cited studies that were themselves cited in the 23 Global Education Monitoring report which showed banning mobile phones improved academic performance, especially for low-performing students, and the results of the ban are starting to come in.

We read about Mt Albert Grammar today saying that they're seeing really positive results within their school. Some Taranaki high schools were ahead of the game - they're already reaping the benefits from banning mobile phone use.

I've mentioned them before, but from the beginning of last year, Waitara High School students in years 9 to 12 had to put their phones in a magnetic pouch when they arrived at school.

And Waitara is an interesting case, because initially the ban was on phones for years 9 to 12. Year 13s, Darryl Warburton the principal said, could keep them - because after all, the year 13s can wear mufti, they can sign out without parent parental consent, they're transitioning to adulthood, it makes sense for them to keep their phones.

He said he was reluctant to ban a device that's so central to modern life, it was better to teach them how to use it responsibly. That was last year

However, not having phones had got rid of a significant distraction in class, and last year the academic results in years 9 to 12 were up 15 - 20 percent, and that is not insignificant.

The only year that didn't go up was year 13. So Darryl Warburton, being a bright guy and seeing the results went - you know what? Year 13s, you've got them banned too.

This year, with the total ban, senior academic performance has also increased and other schools are reporting much the same results. Education Minister Erica Stanford says the results so far are promising.

"Yeah, we're seeing it all over the country. I mean, there was a little bit of grumbling from especially kids like my daughter straight away, but actually we're seeing really positive results from all of the principals I teach to. And actually, interestingly, the kids as well. And the biggest difference this has, we know from research, is our low socioeconomic girls and their mental health and that's a massive win."

Massive win indeed. I found it quite amusing listening to the Secondary School Principals President Vaughan Couillault on the ban this morning.

"I still believe that vaping is a bigger issue than cell phone devices. However, I am always happy to take it on the chin and say the cell phone ban probably has added value to the work that we're doing on campus rather than distracting from it."

Talk about damn with faint praise. Spit it out Vaughan! It’s a good policy and let's introduce it for vaping now as well. To his credit he did say - yes it's probably making life a bit easier in the classroom, not out of the classroom, though and vaping is a bigger problem, but yes, okay, yes, it is working.

You might not like the party or the policy but if it's good for the kids, if it's improving their mental well-being, if it's improving their academic performance, if it's making life easier for teachers to teach, where's the harm?

So yes, as he says, when it comes to vaping, if you can introduce the ban on cell phones, if you can see positive results as a result of banni

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Carrywood and Mornings podcast from News
Talk SEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
So the government's Phones Away for the Day regulations came
into force in state schools in Kuda at the beginning
of term two. Schools must ensure students do not use
or access a phone while they're attending school, including during
lunchtime and breaks. Prime Minister Christopher Luxan announced the policy
before the election last year and there were the typical naysayers.

(00:35):
It'll never work, How can you force it. The children
need their phones to be able to contact their parents,
it's going to put more pressure on teachers, and so
on and so forth. The ban was part of National's
plan to eliminate distractions and lift achievement within schools, and
the press release cited studies that were themselves cited in

(00:56):
the twenty three Global Education Monitoring Report, which showed banning
mobile phones improved academic performance, especially for low performing stars students,
and the results of the banner starting to come in.
We heard Mount Albert Grammar today, will we read Mount
Albert Grammar today saying that they're seeing really positive results

(01:17):
within their school. Some Taranaki High schools were ahead of
the game. They're already reaping the benefits from banning mobile
phone use. I've mentioned them before, but from the beginning
of last year White, at a high school, students in
years nine to twelve had to put their phones in
a magnetic pouch when they arrived at school. And White

(01:38):
is an interesting case because initially the band was on
phones for years nine to twelve. Year thirteen's Daryl Warburton,
the principal, said, could keep them because, after all, the
year thirteens can wear Mufty, they can sign out without
parental consent, they're transitioning to adulthood. It makes sense for
them to keep their phones, he said. I was reluctant

(02:01):
to ban a device that's so central to modern life.
It was better to teach them how to use it responsibly.
So that was last year. However, not having phones had
got rid of a significant distraction in class and last
year the academic results in years nine to twelve were
up fifteen to twenty percent, and that is not insignificant.

(02:24):
The only year that didn't go up was year thirteen.
So Daryl Warburton, being a bright guy and seeing the results,
went you know what, yeah, thirteen's you've got them banned too.
This year with the total ban, Senior academic performance has
also increased, and other schools are reporting much the same results.
Education Minister Erica Stanford says the results so far are promising.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Yeah, we're seeing that all over the country. I mean
there was a little bit of grumbling from especially kids
like my daughter straight away that actually we're seeing really
positive results from all of the principles I teached to
and actually interestingly the kids as well. And the biggest
difference is, as we know from research, is out low
sociosomic girls their mental health. And that's a massive.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
One, massive one. Indeed, I found it quite amusing listening
to the Secondary School Principles President Vaughan Creo on the
band this morning.

Speaker 4 (03:17):
I still believe that vaping is a bigger issue than
cell phone devices. However, I'm always happy to take it
on the chin and say the cell phone band probably
has added value to the work that we're doing on
campus rather than distracting.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
From Probably, God, I can't stand national, but this policy
might actually be working. Talk about damn with faint price
put it out for that's a good policy, and let's
introduce it for vaping now as well. It's just when

(03:50):
you can see it's I mean, to his credit, he
did say, yes, okay, all right, yes, it's probably making
love a bit easier in the classroom. Not out of
the classroom though, and vaping is a bigger problem. But yes, okay, yes,
that it's working. You might not like the party, but
you know the policy. If it's good for the kids,
if it's improving their mental well being, if it's improving
their academic performance, if it's making life easier for teachers

(04:12):
to teach, where's the harm. So yes, as he says,
when it comes to vaping, if you can introduce the
ban on cell phones, if you can see positive results
as a result of banning cell phone use during school hours,
why not ban vaping. I just can't understand how it's not.

(04:34):
It was a known thing that you did not smoke
at school. I don't even think. I mean, everyone talks
about having a few fags behind the bike sheds. I
don't think at Sacred Heart Girls College, Hamilton there were
even fags behind the bike sheds. You just didn't smoke
at school. So how is vaping even a thing at school?

(04:58):
I mean, these days, when I'm m seeing and you
have to go through the health and safety eventiifier and
YadA YadA yah. You say the loser out the door
until you're left, and there is no smoking or vaping
on the grounds. There is no vote, vaping or smoking

(05:19):
anywhere near the venue. The only place you could probably
find the vapor smoke are the Auckland Grammar girls toilets,
you know, I mean basically that seems to be about
the only place where you'll hear of people vaping is
in the school lose. How is that even possible? How

(05:40):
are they not banned? And for people who say banning
doesn't work, well, you'd have to say that the cell phones,
which are ubiquitous, which everyone said would be incredibly difficult
to police, well no, not really. I know, vapes are smaller.
They can be hidden about the person. But you can

(06:04):
see the puff, the magic dragon, clouds of smoke coming
out of the loose. You know what's going on. So
you know, if Vaughn can quadingly through clenched teeth con
see the yues. Perhaps the ban on cell phones has
been a good thing in schools, then I can grudgingly

(06:25):
agree he's right that banning vapor would also be a
very very good thing to do. Give the kids some boundaries,
give them some rules, and watch them actually enjoy having
those boundaries, having those limits on what they can and
cannot do, and benefiting from them.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
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