College tightens mobile phone use of students after review of Statewide ban

The WA College of Agriculture — Narrogin will crack down on mobile phone use after a review of the Statewide ban implemented across schools this year. On Monday, the college introduced new consequences for inappropriate daytime phone use after conducting a six-month review of the impact of the WA policy. At the start of this year, the McGowan Government banned the use of mobile phones and other personal electronic devices during school hours at public schools under its “off and away all day” policy. At the WA College of Agriculture — Narrogin, these devices are not allowed to be used during breakfast, evening meal, homework periods or after lights out for residential students. After implementing the school hours ban, the college discovered two main issues. First, confiscating phones and then returning them at the end of the school day was not much of a disincentive for students. Secondly, the impact of phone confiscations during residential hours far exceeded those during school hours. In a school newsletter, deputy principal Mark Pascoe, pictured, detailed the new consequences. He said phones confiscated during school hours would not be returned to residential students until 6.30pm that evening. The college would contact the carers of day students to ask for their support in withholding the students’ phones until 6.30pm. For a first offence, students will have their phone confiscated for the equivalent of one school day or one residential night depending on where the offence occurred. They will also receive one demerit point. A second offence will see a student lose their phone for the equivalent of two school days or two residential nights depending, and receive two demerit points. For third and subsequent offences, students will be internally suspended as well as losing their phone for two days and receiving one demerit point. If a student refuses to hand over their phone after it has been used inappropriately, they could face further sanctions such as internal withdrawal, external suspension and loss of good standing status.