Worldwide large-scale research is showing that there are serious negative effects when teenagers have smart phones at school. You can help, read below.

Teenagers are now less happy than ever -we can help

A large body of global research, on adolescent smart phone use in schools, show
Adolescent anxiety, depression, loneliness and suicide have risen sharply due to smart phone use.
When phones are banned in high schools bullying goes down and academic results go up.

Teenage depression has skyrocketed as a result of smart phones.
Three states have now banned smart phones in high schools.
In NSW, phones have only been banned in primary schools.

Academic Results and Bullying

This large-scale study found that removing mobile phones at school significantly reduced bullying and increased academic performance in 12-17 year olds.
This study of schools, over 4 cities in England, found a significant increase in student academic performance after schools disallowed mobile phones.

Can we help our teenagers?

In a recent survey, 90% of Australians voted that phones should be banned in high schools.
What can we do? It's easy. Let the people making the decisions know about the research. They listen. It only takes a couple of minutes and makes a big difference.

Get in touch with your local member. There is an election coming up.

Labour has already promised to make schools phone-free. Ask the other parties to match this policy.

They are being bombarded with emails on this topic right now -add your voice.
Sign this petition on change.org. It already has 25,000 signatures!

What happens when phones are banned?

Cathy Poyser, Deputy Principal of Camberwell Grammar said,
"There was an immediate and amazing change. It was very noticeable."

"There is so much more talking and laughter."

Loneliness, Anxiety and Mental Health

Jonathon Haidt the Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University has researched the alarming link between mental health in teenagers and smart phone use. Professor Haidt said,
"One important step is to give kids a long period each day when they are not distracted by their devices: the school day. Phones may be useful for getting to and from school, but they should be locked up during the school day so students can practice the lost art of paying full attention to the people around them - including their teachers."

The facts

Loneliness, depression and suicide

Jean M Twenge professor of psychology, at San Diego State University, discusses the skyrocketing rates of teen depression and suicide, as a result of smart phones.

Twenge, with 25 years of experience studying generational differences, describes how abrupt the shift has been, "In all my analyses of generational data-some reaching back to the 1930s-I had never seen anything like it."

Two nationally representative surveys of U.S. adolescents, show increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among U.S. adolescents are linked to increased screen time.

This Harvard University article discusses the link with anxiety, poor sleep and unsuccessful social interactions.

This paper, from Ariel University, shows excessive smartphone use is associated with difficulties in cognitive-emotion regulation, impulsivity and low self-esteem.

The mere presence of your smartphone reduces brain power. Research from the University of Texas at Austin shows your cognitive capacity is significantly reduced when your smartphone is within reach - even if it's off.

Smart Phones at school - increase cyberbullying

The ABC and the Sydney Morning Herald report on Principal David Kilpatrick's experience in banning smart phones. A recent student wellbeing survey found that 80 per cent of his school's students had not been cyberbullied, "I couldn't have said that three years ago," said Kilpatrick.

This is significantly better than the national average. Non-profit, youth mental health organisation, Headspace, found that more than half of all young people have experienced cyberbullying, in their National Youth Mental Health Survey.

Implementing a ban - reduction of inequality

This paper finds that restricting phones at schools is a low-cost policy that reduces educational inequalities.

Smart phone bans have been successful and straightforward to implement in high schools. Many Sydney private schools have implemented a ban but the vast majority of public school students remain at greater risk of anxiety, depression, loneliness and suicide.

How can we teach our children to be responsible with technology as adults?

Neuroscientist Dr. Jay Giedd said "If a teen is doing music or sports or academics, those are the cells and connections that will be hardwired. If they're lying on the couch or playing video games... those are the cells and connections that are going to survive"
What we do our teenage years hard wires our brains for our adult lives. If we want our teenagers to be better able to resist gaming, social media and the interruptions of their phones, then we need to give them a large period of time away from their phones each day. We need to give them the freedom to interact in the real world without interruptions.

What solutions are working?

Davidson High School in Frenches Forest, has had great success with their phone ban, during school hours.
They require students to put their phones in a pouch, at the school gate, that, once closed, cannot be reopened during the school day, without breaking a lock.
The pouch can be opened by teachers, and used when necessary as an explicit teaching tool for a particular lesson.

What can we do to protect our teenagers?

It's easy. Let the people making the decisions know about the research. They listen. It only takes a couple of minutes and makes a big difference.
Get in touch with your local member. There is an election coming up.

Labour has already promised to make schools phone-free. Ask the other parties to match this policy.

They are being bombarded with emails on this topic right now -add your voice.
Sign this petition on change.org. It already has 25,000 signatures!

Please share this information, together we can make this happen fast.