LNP proposes mobile phone ban in schools to combat bullying, anti-social behaviour

Deb Frecklington proposed discussions with stakeholders regarding a mobile phone ban during school hours.

“This is all about getting our kids more active and encouraging them to interact face-to-face, instead of behind screens," Ms Frecklington said.

“As a community, we all need to help our kids develop social skills and understand the risks of online content.

“Mobile phones are the weapon of choice for bullies and there’s merit in discussing access to these devices during school hours.”

Shadow Education Minister Jarrod Bleijie said, as a father, he was concerned about mobile phones being in the classroom.

“The government has a role to play in getting our kids out from behind screens and interacting with each other and the world around them," he said.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she would not enforce a state-wide ban and was happy with the current situation, where such decisions were up to individual principals in consultation with their school community.

“Individual schools are in the best position to make decisions about policies that apply to things like mobile phones during the school day," she said.

"The government is willing to listen to ideas put forward through the bullying roundtable and other stakeholders.

"However, it’s is very important to ensure that major changes do not have unintended consequences.

Tracey Adams, chief executive of youth support charity yourtown, said she was wary of wrongly giving school children the idea they had done something wrong.

“As parents, we don’t always know everything ourselves so it can be very confronting when a parent has a child come to them and say ‘this is what is happening to me, I am having these bullying cases’.

"Often as a parent the first response can be to take the device away ... and that can be why young people are hesitant to tell their parents, because they feel that they are in turn being punished."