Voluntary Opt in No Smartphone Code

Earlier this year the School sent you information about a Voluntary Code to delay the purchase of a smartphone until completion of Primary School. 

 

The Principals of 20 schools in the area have met to launch a Voluntary Opt-In Code. These schools are Ballyboughal NS; Gaelscoil Bhrian Boróimhe; Holy Family JNS & SNS; Holywell ETNS; Malahide Portmarnoock ETNS; Mary Queen of Angels NS; .River Valley CNS; Rolestown NS; St Colmcille’s BNS & GNS; St Cronan’s JNS & SNS; St Margaret’s NS; St Nicholas of Myra NS; St Patrick’s GNS; The Old Borough School; Thorneligh ETNS; Scoil an Duinninigh and Swords ETNS

 

Every school is grappling with the same issue including cyberbullying, exclusion, sexting, and circulation of self-harm images. There is a huge fallout from each incident with a loss of teaching and learning time. 

 

Dr Colm Noctor, Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytical Psychotherapist spoke to a gathering of parents and principals in Holywell ETNS reflecting on the impact on children’s development of smartphone use and related issues. 

 

Aside from the potential exposure to cyberbullying, pornography and potential predators, there are huge concerns about the impact of smartphone use on children’s sleep, concentration levels, increased levels of self-harm and higher levels of anxiety. 

 

He was not saying that smartphones are not bad per se but considerations are needed when giving a child a smartphone akin to giving them the keys to a car without them first learning the rules of the road and taking some lessons!

 

What we are asking you as parents and guardians of your child is to consider signing up to a Voluntary Code at the beginning of each year whereby you agree not to give your child a smartphone until completion of primary school. This Code is completely voluntary but we hope by collectively agreeing in large numbers we will change the culture around smartphone usage until children have the emotional intelligence and skills to handle these devices.