The mental health and attention span of our children is at stake

My Lords it is an honour to take part in this debate. I congratulate Baroness Kidron on her excellent introduction and with others look forward very much to the maiden speech of Baroness Cass.

The Diocese of Oxford where I serve has 285 Church schools. We share in the education of over 60,000 children through our church schools and our network of Multi Academy Trusts. There is a very broad consensus of the importance of this issue and in favour of smartphone free schools but not yet a final consensus on next steps to bring this about. This consensus arises from our commitment to foster the Christian values of wisdom, respect, community and hope in all our schools.

Nine days ago I visited Chiltern Hills secondary school in Bucks to meet some sixth formers and the Principal. The school has just introduced and enforced a rigorous ban on smartphones, below the sixth form which the sixth form seemed quite happy about, and for the sixth form outside their own study centre, using lockable pouches as referred to by Lord Knight. For the students generally this was working well and brought relief. I asked the Principal what the effects of the policy were in the first term. his first answer surprised me – it ewas fewer fights in fact no fights. I asked why that should be. Because they cannot be filmed and put online.

Overall the ban translates into better behaviour overall, less bullying and higher levels of concentration which translate again into more learning; better relationships; healthier communities, higher attainment – all supported now by the extensive research summarised in the briefings including the report Disconnect from Policy Exchange. The case for smartphone free schools seems very strong indeed.

A few weeks ago I had another piece of evidence I visited a primary school in Oxfordshire and a had sobering conversation with the excellent headteacher. It concerned the effects of unchecked use of smartphones and social media on those who are now in their 20s and the parents of children in school. The head described the challenges of communicating with this TikTok generation of parents. They now have to prepare a very short TikTok style video of one or two minutes on such simple subjects such as how to prepare a healthy lunchbox because the concentration levels among the parents have become so low and their ways of receiving information so restricted. The head described as well how much of her staff time is now taken up with responding to parent group WhatsApp messages for similar reasons.

All the evidence presented by Jonathan Haidt and others suggest that smartphones need to be regulated through a combination of legislation; industry; good design; intermediate institutions such as workplaces and schools, families and individuals. Addictive technology needs communities of resistance to be formed by schools and by parents.

But very senior colleagues agree on the need of those restrictions but differ somewhat on the means. I would welcome further government leadership and legislation which set and enforce benchmark for schools and brings the best research to bear but which leaves the means of implementation in the hands of the schools and the educators themselves. The mental health and attention span of our children and the whole society is at stake.

Steven Croft

Watch Bishop Steven’s speech

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Rule of life

I hope and trust you’ve had a break in August and that you are coming back refreshed to school or work or ministry – whatever your calling may be.

Today’s readings seem really appropriate as we begin a new school year and as we look ahead to the autumn.

Jesus reminds his followers that the way of the disciple is often a hard way. He talks about his own road to Jerusalem and the way he must suffer and be killed and then rise from the dead. Peter rebukes him: God forbid it, Lord. This must never happen to you.

Then Jesus patiently explains to his disciples that he must walk in the way of the cross – and we must follow him.

If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it and those who lost their life for my sake will find it.

This is a call to deep and adventurous living.

It is also a call to a disciplined life: a way of self denial. Throughout the long history of the church Christians have been called to deny themselves, to live that disciplined life. It can be helpful sometimes to gather those disciplines, those habits, together into a personal code of practice, sometimes called a Rule of Life.

You may never have thought about a Rule of Life for your own Christian journey. This might be a good time to reflect on that and reflect on it with others. Or your Rule of Life might need some resetting at this point in the journey and after several months of lockdown.

What kind of things might be in it? Public worship first of all. Putting God first on the first day of the week, the day of resurrection. If you can, if it’s safe to do so, worship with other Christians. Receive the sacrament. If you can’t for health and safety reasons, or because your church can’t open yet, then worship as you can, virtually. But reset that discipline.

Private prayer next. Set some time aside daily for prayer. It may be helpful to join with others and join your prayers in some way with the prayer of the church. Many churches have reported a rise in the number of people praying together in the mornings and the evenings online. I hope that will continue.

Third, practice the discipline of secret giving to and through the local church and for the relief of those in need. Again, you might need to reset that discipline and the way you give because of the pandemic.

After public worship, private prayer and secret giving, how will you engage in community with others in the Church? We all need the fellowship with other Christians: to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, as Paul writes in that beautiful passage from Romans. Can you meet physically and regularly with a few people to support one another in prayer? If not physically, can you meet virtually, once a week or once a fortnight to recharge your spiritual batteries, to give and to receive, to love one another?

Finally, how will you offer your time and your gifts to serve your wider community and your church? There is so much that needs rebuilding now. We all have something we can give through our time and our talents. Can you support your local school? Can you get involved with a struggling charity? Can you help to rebuild a ministry in your local church? Is there a need to lead in your community? Can you show hospitality and welcome to strangers and build up your neighbourhood?

All of these things are needed and vital. They might feel like a sacrifice at first, but actually, the more we do them, the more connected we feel to others.

A Rule of Life is a very simple thing: a set of habits and disciplines to make sure we are being faithful and being sustained as we follow Christ. Public worship, private prayer, secret giving, fellowship with others, loving service according to our gifts. Think about what you will do. Pray about these disciplines. Write them down. I look forward to walking with you and walking with Christ through the coming year.

 

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