Schools in the U.K. should reduce the use of iPads during lessons because some children are using them to bully and harass others, according to a government minister (via The Telegraph).

Edward Timpson, the Minister for Children and Families, claimed a number of schools were letting children spend too much time using iPads and said that headteachers should use their powers to confiscate them if they are being used "inappropriately".

iPad Education
Timpson told peers on the House of Lords Communications Committee:

"A problem in a number of schools which we've sought to address is the iPad or the tablet coming into schools and it forming far too much of the school day's activities of children and it being used inappropriately for some of the bullying and harassment that we know sadly goes on the back of it.

"That's why we've strengthen the powers of headteachers to confiscate and remove material and so on."

Timpson argued for a "technology balance" to ensure that teachers still interact with pupils and avoid a "battleground" between children and their tablets.

"Children will be spending more of their life living through a tablet. It is the direction we now know is going to be taking hold for the foreseeable future and we have to respond to that," he said.

Over 90 percent of U.K. teenagers have mobile phones, according to The Telegraph. Meanwhile, a study by the London School of Economics found that an outright ban on the devices in schools saw test scores rise by an average 6 percent.

In England, there is no government policy on the use of mobile phones in schools, which are left to set any restrictions themselves.

Top Rated Comments

Mac Fly (film) Avatar
92 months ago
People hitting others with rulers. Solution: ban rulers. People stabbing others with pencils. Solution: ban pencils. People hitting others with elbows. Solution: ban people. People waiting at certain times outside schools to beat up others. Solution: ban time pieces. Solution to everything: ban humans. Addressing the causes of bullying? What do you think we are!?
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xgm541 Avatar
92 months ago
It doesnt specify how they're used for bullying.

Do kids take them and hit others with I pads?
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apolloa Avatar
92 months ago
iPads and laptops should be banned period! Make children use those ancient skills like reading a book and handwriting.... just my opinion...
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mr. Dee Avatar
92 months ago
These devices like the iPad are doing nothing more than turning children into dumbed downed spoiled brats. Confiscate and let them learn to solve mathematical problems, read a book and learn to write a decent composition using pen and paper. If they want to use a computer, sit them in front of one where you know you can easily manage. The iPads problem is, it was never designed as a multi-user device, its a personal device. iOS still doesn't have multi-user support yet. Apple I believe recently added support, but it still does not go the extra mile.

Finally, these are luxury devices, if the parents can't even afford them, don't get them hooked on using it at school then go home with temper tantrums to their parents balling for one. Sometimes, I feel these things are solutions looking for a problem. 10 to 15 years ago, when I was in school, when Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, Surgey Brin, Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg were in school, they had to do without Tablets. They still ended being intelligent, successful people.

Here in Jamaica, the Tablets in schools program has turned out to be a disaster. Students immediately circumvented the security restrictions and started going on social media, downloading adult content.

Nothing beats the good old pen and paper. When they want a Tablet, let them go earn their own money and buy one.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HarryT Avatar
92 months ago
Christ this is ridiculous.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
92 months ago
In related news, Danish Minister wants to increase scarf use in schools to curb flu.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
anker new xmas 1

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
m2 macbook air green

Get Apple's M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro for Record Low Prices

Friday December 1, 2023 6:59 am PST by
Best Buy is discounting a collection of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models to all-time low prices today. We're tracking these deals below in addition to great discounts on the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Watch Ultra 1. MacBook Air Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the...
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...