Labour calls for mobiles ban in classrooms

'Phones often at heart of negative behaviour'

- By Katrine Bussey

LABOUR has called for a national mobile phones ban in Scotland's schools, with ministers accused of “passing the buck” on the issue.

The party's education spokeswoman Pam Duncan-Glancy said pupils are being left to “pay the price” for SNP ministers’ lack of action.

She was speaking as Holyrood debated what Labour said was a “straightforward motion with a straightforward purpose”, calling for mobile phones to be banned in classrooms across the country to help make schools “calm and safe places to learn”.

With concerns rising about behaviour in schools, Ms Duncan-Glancy argued that teachers are “firefighting disruption”.

However, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said the Scottish Government has issued guidance to schools which means “head teachers are already empowered to carry out mobile phone bans” if they see fit to do so.