Comment: Minister's school phone ban is pure kite-flying at a time when principals have far bigger issues to deal with

The last few days have been quite unseasonal for August. Cloudy, showery, chilly and breezy too. Perfect weather for kite flying and boy, is this Government taking full advantage.

Over the weekend, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly came out with some unworkable guff about banning social media for Under 16s.

This followed on from Minister for Education, Norma Foley announcing an 'initiative' to ban mobile phones from all second-level schools in response to research which "links use of devices to student distraction and cyberbullying."

Most, if not all secondary schools already restrict the use of mobile phones and oblige students to place them in lockers for the day. In many schools, students caught using mobile phones, or where they go off in a pocket or bag, can see their devices confiscated for up to two weeks with parents or guardians then having to attend the school in person to retrieve them.

Schools set their policies on banning devices from the start to the end of the school day. Anyone not adhering to these policies, which parents/guardians endorse at the start of each academic year, suffers the consequence. Simple, practical, sensible but it seems the Minister wants to create a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist. Worse, she offers no solution for where the real problems of student distraction and cyberbullying do exist.

Minister Foley outlined the merits of her 'new initiative'in social media Op-Ed pieces last week where she said a mobile phone ban during the school day would have the following effects:

1. "Improve the learning environment in schools by reducing distraction."

It's the role of the school, fully backed by an invested Department of Education to ensure the learning environment is one of stimulation, curiosity, encouragement and understanding of the material provided. The real distractions for students and their families are things like constant free classes caused by teacher shortages (they're in Dubai and Australia because they can't afford to live here). Real distractions are students not attending school because they've been denied access to school transport. Real distractions are parents put to the pin of their collars paying for books, uniforms and 'voluntary contributions'. Real distractions are kids in prefabs because the system of delivering school buildings is a shambles.

2. "Reduce the risk of cyberbullying and access to violent or pornographic content during school hours."

The horrible truth about cyberbullying, unlike the traditional schoolyard menace, is the online kind follows its victims out of the school gates, into their homes, into their bedrooms and into their every waking hour. For any young person on the receiving end, that can have terrible consequences. Cyberbullying doesn't stick to the school timetable, Minister.

And where is the Minister's ire when it come to the social media platforms helping to deliver this harmful and destructive 'content'? Wagging fingers and saying 'they need to do better' have really shaken these tech giants to their core so far, haven't they Minister.

3. "Increase traditional social interactions between students at lunchtimes instead of having them stuck on their phones."

Again, most schools have a complete schoolday ban on phones, lunchtimes included.

Plus, there is a practicality to students having access to their phones on the school property. Pick up times can change, meeting points can move, messages need to be delivered. Family life doesn't always chime along with the school bell. The Minister acknowledges and knows all this so calling for a ban has no real purposeful meaning.

Minister Foley believes that "turning our schools into mobile phone-free zones during the forthcoming school year will enhance the learning and lived experience of students and staff within our schools."

Principals will be delighted with this bold and brave stance no doubt. After all it's a far more pressing topic for them than kids spending their entire secondary school education in prefabs, or indeed GAA clubhouses (Dunshaughlin CNS) when additional prefabs aren't delivered for the new school term. It's surely more important than scrambling around for retired teachers to return to class because the younger cohort can't afford to buy or rent accommodation near to where they teach.

Kite flying mirrors exactly these silly Government initiatives; running with something in the hope it takes off, lots of wind, meeting resistance and knowing ultimately it will crash land nose first.

Ban kites, Minister.