NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Education

Te Puke High School bans students from bringing phones to school

Zoe Hunter
By Zoe Hunter
Bay of Plenty Times·
15 Aug, 2020 08:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Te Puke High School. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

Te Puke High School. Photo / Stuart Whitaker

A Bay of Plenty high school has banned its students from taking cellphones to school.

Te Puke High School students were banned from bringing mobile phones to school on August 10 and the ban will remain in place "until further notice".

Principal Alan Liddle has refuted rumours the ban was due to students filming fights at school and posting the footage to social media.

Instead, he said, in a statement, regulations were introduced at the start of 2019 to improve student engagement in learning and minimise the temptation for them to use their phones during class time for social messaging and entertainment.

"Unfortunately, during 2020 and in particular since the return to school from lockdown, students have tended to use their mobile phones at school more, including the use of social media," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"This is a problem that schools throughout New Zealand are having to deal with, which causes disruption to teaching and learning."

Te Puke High School principal Alan Liddle. Photo / File
Te Puke High School principal Alan Liddle. Photo / File

Liddle said the school responded to a recommendation from community members and some parents and caregivers to ban students from bringing their phones to school.

The need for a phone ban was explained to students at a school assembly on August 10.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Our highest priority is for students and staff to be able to learn in a safe environment without disruption."

A school parent, who spoke under anonymity, said she agreed with the college's decision not to have phones on at school but believed "they have left it a bit late".

"I understand that the ban has to do with kids using them to film fights, which have actually happened outside of school hours, even been on the weekend ..."

However, Liddle said it was "incorrect" that the ban was due to students using their phone to film fighting.

The parent said mobile phones, laptops, any devices that existed in today's society never existed when she was at school.

"So my generation and older need to accept that this is the way of the world today. We had to go to the office to contact our parents and vice versa."

She said her child did not get a cellphone until she was almost 14. But she was glad her child had a cellphone now so they could text her when they needed picking up from after school activities or if they needed a ride home.

"Kids have lots going on these days and phones are handy.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I agree with not having them in class but in their free time - at lunch, they should be able to use their phones."

Ōtūmoetai College principal Russell Gordon. Photo / File
Ōtūmoetai College principal Russell Gordon. Photo / File

Ōtūmoetai College principal Russell Gordon said schools needed to create policies and procedures appropriate for particular contexts.

"We don't ban the use of cellphones, however, we do moderate how students can use them.

"We use the tool, not a toy philosophy when considering what is the appropriate use for cellphones in school."

Gordon said students were expected to keep their phones in their bags when in class and use them only if the teacher deemed it appropriate.

"If students fail to follow these expectations they may be warned, and failure to comply will mean the confiscation of their cellphone for a period of time."

Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan. Photo / George Novak
Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan. Photo / George Novak

Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan said cellphones were not banned at his school but he did not recommend them as an educational device.

Students were encouraged to use Chrome books or iPads for educational purposes instead of their phones, he said.

NetSafe chief executive Martin Cocker said it was a school's responsibility to provide learning in a safe environment and "if the phones are getting in the way of that the school has no choice" but to ban the phones.

However, he said he understood the need for parents to connect with their child via cellphone.

"Parents clearly rely on mobile phones to help them manage the comings and goings of their families," he said.

WHAT ARE THE SEVEN STEPS OF THE ONLINE SAFETY PARENT TOOLKIT

At the heart of the Online Safety Parent Toolkit is a seven-step framework that guides parents through online safety conversations with their child. It helps parents to:

Understand potential risks, challenges and sometimes illegal behaviours
Learn about their tamariki's activities
Explore for themselves the technology their child uses
Agree and set expectations as a family on what to do online
Teach basic online safety concepts
Model the behaviours you want to see your child use
Plan what to do if things go wrong

Source: https://www.netsafe.org.nz/

Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Education

Politics

A look at the Term 3 school lunches with 73% positive feedback

01 Jul 11:13 PM
Premium
Business

Dilworth: Has it done enough to address abuse, and is it a school worth saving?

28 Jun 05:00 PM
New Zealand|education

Dilworth Trust chair addresses student care, survivor support after abuse scandal

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Education

A look at the Term 3 school lunches with 73% positive feedback

A look at the Term 3 school lunches with 73% positive feedback

01 Jul 11:13 PM

David Seymour said complaints have fallen by 92% since March.

Premium
Dilworth: Has it done enough to address abuse, and is it a school worth saving?

Dilworth: Has it done enough to address abuse, and is it a school worth saving?

28 Jun 05:00 PM
Dilworth Trust chair addresses student care, survivor support after abuse scandal

Dilworth Trust chair addresses student care, survivor support after abuse scandal

Principals seek support after 80% spike in students disciplined for weapons

Principals seek support after 80% spike in students disciplined for weapons

24 Jun 05:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP