ASCL president calls for end to social media chaos among schoolchildren
The call comes after a new survey revealed that nearly three-quarters of secondary school teachers reported students being bullied by peers online
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) president has called for an end to the chaos created by social media usage among children.
The president of the association, Manny Botwe, recognises the benefits smartphones bring, especially helping to create connections across continents and expanding access to knowledge, but he warns that this technology also has a “darker side”.
Speaking to delegates at the ASCL annual conference in Liverpool, Botwe argued that social media usage among schoolchildren risks leaving a “trail of harm” such as fractured friendships, bullying, anxiety, and the spread of extremist ideologies. In addition, he added that the technology is being weaponised against schools and teachers, with disgruntled parents using it as a platform to target staff.
The call comes after a new survey conducted by Teacher Tapp on behalf of the ASCL asked school teachers and leaders in England what social-media related issues they had noticed since the start of the academic year in September.
The survey found widespread social media-related issues in English schools. Nearly three-quarters of secondary school teachers reported students being bullied by peers online, while almost half observed students recording teachers or classmates without permission. Around 30% noticed signs of students accessing pornographic or violent content.
Additionally, 43% of teachers across primary and secondary schools encountered negative comments from parents about their school or staff on social media. Nearly three-quarters also reported that students were using social media despite being below the minimum age requirement.
Botwe said: “This chaos must end. For too long, tech billionaires have been given immense power without accountability. They hide behind the defence that they are champions of free speech while profiting from platforms that allow harm to fester.
“But enough is enough. It is time to bring these platforms to heel and force them to police their own spaces. While we welcome the Online Safety Act we have yet to see its protections come into force or how effective they prove in practice.”
He added: “As a society, we have the right to demand the protection of our children, the enforcement of decency, and the upholding of standards. That right must be asserted.”