Can cell phones be banned from schools to stop TikTok protests? Former education secretary Gavin Williamson says getting rid of devices will address the social media trend
- Former education secretary Gavin Williamson wants phones banned from school
- It follows a Tiktok craze that saw student protests broadcast online
Former education secretary Gavin Williamson has said cell phones should be banned to prevent riots from being recorded on Tik Tok.
Schools across the country have been hit with protests that are spreading like wildfire on the popular social media platform.
The Williamson firm revealed its plan to block classroom phones during his time as education secretary, The Sun reports.
His plans were called off by his successors, who decided that headteachers should determine whether telephones were appropriate or not.
Mr Williamson said: ‘Getting rid of mobile phones in schools will help improve discipline and behaviour.
Former education secretary Gavin Williamson has said mobile phones should be banned to prevent riots from being recorded on Tik Tok
Mr Williamson said: ‘Getting rid of mobile phones in schools will help improve discipline and behaviour’
“Whether it’s addressing issues like Tik Tok riots or getting kids to focus on their work at school, everything points to banning mobile phones in schools as the best course of action.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Education said: ‘We are concerned about the reports of disruptions and will be contacting all schools and local authorities to ensure they are supported at this time.
‘We will always support school principals to take the necessary measures to maintain a calm and supportive classroom environment as they are best placed to work with their teachers, parents, pupils and local communities in developing and implementing policies .
“Our current guidance is clear that headteachers should consider restricting or banning mobile phones to reduce the risk of distraction, disruption, bullying and abuse, and that phones can be detrimental to learning.”
