Nick Gibb supports a school ban on smartphones. Photo: Getty Images
Mr Gibb pointed to Katherine Bierbalsingh, principal of Mikaela's school. A school in north London that requires children to put their phones in the locker when they come to school.
He said: “You don't go out with your friends. If you talk on this [phone] for six hours, you have to go out with friends, chat, talk to parents, do homework.
“Katherine says that these children stay up all night until one at night, chatting on their mobile phones, and then come to school half asleep and therefore unable to concentrate.
“So she is very, very determined. She also says: “If you're worried about traveling from home to school and that's why they need a phone, give them a brick phone.”
“Kids in schools don't identify as animals”
Mr. Gibb also played down concerns about children identifying as animals in classrooms that he says were being investigated by his officials.
He said: “There is less to this story than meets the eye. I think it was the gender identity debate that led to the creation of the “absurd” case.
“I don't think there are kids in our schools who identify as animals. And if they were, it would be seen as bad behavior by the child and it would be stopped.”
New government guidance is due to be published soon that will require schools to tell parents if their children are looking for to move to another gender.
“If a child wants to take steps towards social transition, then it will be up to the parents and they will have to be involved in any decisions about this,” he said.
However, Rosie Duffield, Labor MP , said MPs told her about schools where children identify themselves as crows and wolves.
Ms Duffield said: “I've heard about wolves, horses. Crows are the last thing I heard about the local population. Yes, it's a thing. We can joke about it. But what does that mean?
“We know that children have gone through a lot because of self-isolation and isolation from their friends. But is this a cry for help?
“It's a confusion about where they are, their role and everything in life. In fact, I think it's terribly sad.”
Listen to today's Chopper's Politics podcast in which Christopher Hope interviews Education Minister Nick Gibb, Labor MP Rosie Duffield and MP Conservative MP Ranil Jayewardena with the audio player in this article or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your podcasts.
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