Williamson was seemingly unaware of these events as he contrived to get himself the teapot (he has always wanted one) by launching a consultation on pupil behaviour and discipline in schools, and then publishing the results before any consultations! Could someone take the poor boy aside and explain the timeline on these ‘consultations!’. Just because we all know that there is no consultation does not mean that he should not go through the process. His answer to discipline is to make schools mobile phone free. There are several relevant points for intelligent readers here (The Education Secretary not being one of them). All schools have rigorous policies on mobile phones. By banning does he mean stopping students bringing them into school at all? At which point I would like to point out that Rees-Mogg is incorrect in believing it is the 18th Century and that Williamson is silly for believing this. As a parent of a teenager 15 years ago I was aware of the necessity of my daughter having a mobile phone in school – a rural comprehensive, she could text me if she was visiting friends, often unto 6 miles away. Finally, a mobile phone today is like a computer was 10n years ago, teachers can embrace. Yes there needs to be rules on use in the classroom, but the government is unlikely to provide computers for all.
Maybe the government should have provided phones for those with no access to computers, in school they can use the wifi, outside they will have to pay as they go. I retired ages ago, but even then there were exciting new programmes for using phones in the classroom. Mini tests, etc. Williamson like the rest of the stupid cabinet is trying to appeal to those with lower levels of intelligence. The ones who say ‘Being caned/strapped/beaten never did me any harm’.
Finally, of course mobile phones and social media are a breeding ground for bullying, racism, sexism, etc. but they are not the causes, merely the conduits. The phrase – don’t shoot the messenger – comes to mind.