Cameras, video phones causing stir in classrooms

Secondary school principals here are considering the outright ban of cellular phones in schools, as it appears that some students are using the phones for all the wrong reasons.

Students from a number of schools are reported to be using these cell phones to take pictures of fellow students in various states of undress and even to video tape each other having sexual intercourse.{{more}}

SEARCHLIGHT understands that a group of girls from a school in Kingstown was suspended for sending pictures of their nude bodies to their friends’ cell phones.

Though not denying it, the school’s principal refused to confirm how many students were involved in the incident.

According to a principal, the schools are faced with a number of problems in relation to the misuse of these cell phones, especially those with camera and video recording capabilities.

“Some of these students have the internet on their phones and instead of using their phones productively they are not. Some of them are using the phones to view pornographic material instead of using it to do research,” one principal told SEARCHLIGHT.

“It is creating a big problem in the school, there are too many of these phones in the school and if one goes off we have to stop and check to see whose phone went off,” another principal said.

“I believe that some students can do better (in their academics). There are a lot of cases where students were doing well but because of these phones their academics have dropped,” said a principal in a disappointed tone.

Students are also said to be using the phones to cheat and would text answers to each other during their exams.

Several school principals told SEARCHLIGHT that they are planning to ban the use of all cell phones in their schools and are only waiting on the consent from the Ministry of Education.

When contacted, an official from the Ministry of Education pointed out that they at the ministry are currently working on a policy to deal with the misuse of cell phones in the schools, but some legal issues would have to be clarified first. Meanwhile, some schools have already instituted their own policies, one of which involves banning the use of cell phones completely.

However, other principals told SEARCHLIGHT that they have already banned the students from being in possession of the phones while at school.

One school leader pointed out that since 2006, they banned the use of cell phones with cameras and internet capabilities, yet still, there are a few students who are still breaking the rule. That school is hoping to take the matter a step further, but declined to say what that step is.

At least one principal told SEARCHLIGHT that they do not have any problems with their students and the use of cell phones in school, as they already have a common agreement with the students and their parents.