Teachers are pleased with a new cell phone policy coming into effect today.

NLTA President Trent Langdon says aside from the usual distractions caused by cell phone use, they also help to perpetuate even more negative behavior including bullying.

Of greatest concern to the Teachers’ Union is the use of cell phones in criminal behaviour, for drug deals and even the co-ordination and escalation of violent attacks.

“We do know it gives them a much wider berth in terms of the number of other children they have contact with…and obviously the criminal element can be brought into it quite easily. You can easily order drugs and so-on.”