Anger as council debate on mobile phones in schools delayed
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MORAY Conservative councillors have expressed frustration over hold-ups in debating the use of mobile phones in schools.
A motion had been submitted by Conservatives Tim Eagle (Buckie) and Claire Feaver (Forres) asking officers in the education department to prepare a report outlining the pros and cons of mobile phone use in schools
At a meeting of the Children's and Young People's Services Committee on Wednesday, March 4, councillors instead agreed to wait six months for a wider-ranging report on digital technology in schools, which will cover mobile phone use.
Conservative group leader Cllr Eagle said afterwards: "I deeply regret that the SNP have refused to allow a valid motion to be debated in the chamber.
"Back in May 2019 – nine months ago – the committee asked for a report on the positives and negatives of mobile phone use in schools. Since then we have heard nothing from the administration, despite the widespread concern about the inappropriate use of mobile phones.
"After all this time the Conservative group brought the subject back to the committee assuming our original ask had been forgotten. However, the SNP chair did not even allow me to speak on the motion.
"We recognise our hard-working education staff are doing their best to improve attainment. And we cannot thank all our school staff enough for the time and effort they are putting in. But it is important to recognise that we have a right to bring items into the public forum.
"If this is a question of the council lacking the capacity to look into this issue, then that should come back to committee so that councillors have the opportunity to debate whether education needs more staff to move towards our aim of achieving excellence in education."
During the meeting, chairperson SNP councillor Sonya Warren (Buckie) said: "The committee considered a similar request from Cllr Eagle on May 25, 2019, and it was agreed that a report should be brought forward on this subject, and so this doesn't require further determination. However, I am aware that this matter remains outstanding and I understand that workload pressures within the service have prevented this progress."
In an update, depute chief executive (education, communities and OD) Denise Whitworth said funding had been secured through the Northern Alliance for a depute head teacher focused on digital technology. She said mobile phone use should be considered in the wider context of other digital technology and priorities in schools.
She said: "My suggestion to the committee would be that we look at this as a whole issue and that this is incorporated within that project and that we can expect a report back within a six-month period.
"I appreciate that this may not be what the original motion was driving to address but my suggestion would be that this is part of a wider issue and that all digital technology should be considered in terms of what it can contribute to the delivery of the curriculum."
Frustrated by the handling of the issue, Cllr Eagle warned the committee he would "make a fuss in the background", but added: "I don't think we have a choice – we just have to accept it and move forward."
Cllr Eagle said the issue of mobiles in schools was coming up "time and time again" with parents and added: "Let's have a guarantee then that it is going to come back within six months because this issue needs to be debated."
