France To Tighten Mobile Phone Ban in Middle Schools (theguardian.com)
(Friday April 11, 2025 @10:00PM (msmash)
from the tussle-continues dept.)
- Reference: 0177002247
- News link: https://mobile.slashdot.org/story/25/04/11/1653218/france-to-tighten-mobile-phone-ban-in-middle-schools
- Source link: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/10/france-mobile-phone-ban-middle-schools
France is to tighten its ban on the use of mobile phones in middle schools, making pupils at the ages of 11 to 15 [1]shut away their devices in a locker or pouch at the start of the day and access them again only as they are leaving. A report adds:
> The education minister told the senate she wanted children to be fully separated from their phones throughout the school day in all French middle schools from September. Elisabeth Borne said: "At a time when the use of screens is being widely questioned because of its many harmful effects, this measure is essential for our children's wellbeing and success at school."
>
> In 2018, France banned children from using mobile phones in all middle schools -- known as colleges. Phones must remain switched off in schoolbags and cannot be used anywhere in the school grounds, including at break-time. Schools have reported a positive effect, with more social interaction, more physical exercise, less bullying and better concentration. But some did report a few children would sneak into the toilets to watch videos on phones at break.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/10/france-mobile-phone-ban-middle-schools
> The education minister told the senate she wanted children to be fully separated from their phones throughout the school day in all French middle schools from September. Elisabeth Borne said: "At a time when the use of screens is being widely questioned because of its many harmful effects, this measure is essential for our children's wellbeing and success at school."
>
> In 2018, France banned children from using mobile phones in all middle schools -- known as colleges. Phones must remain switched off in schoolbags and cannot be used anywhere in the school grounds, including at break-time. Schools have reported a positive effect, with more social interaction, more physical exercise, less bullying and better concentration. But some did report a few children would sneak into the toilets to watch videos on phones at break.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/10/france-mobile-phone-ban-middle-schools
Good for France (Score:2)
by Local ID10T ( 790134 )
I hope it works out for them.
In the near future... (Score:2)
by rossdee ( 243626 )
Kids won't be able to afford smartphones anyway.
Re: Who cares? (Score:2)
by Slashythenkilly ( 7027842 )
Its obvious your childhood went well
No schools should allow cellphones (Score:2)
by Slashythenkilly ( 7027842 )
All phones should be dropped at the front of class or admin. All they are used for is social media or tiktok instead of what theyre supposed to be doing which is learning.
Re:So if you're reading this (Score:4, Insightful)
Jesus Christ what has not having a mobile phone got to do with free speech? Don't answer that, you'll only show how ignorant you are of how the topic applies.
Re: (Score:2)
Did we not have freedom of speech before Smartphones? I would argue we had more.
Re: (Score:2)
I know your single braincell can't comprehend this, but it turns out that in the complex world of human anatomy there are many causes for a single issue, and many issues for a single cause. The fact you have a spoon full of microplastic in your brain has nothing at all to do with anything being discussed here, at best it can contribute to problems.
Now please dedicate that one braincell to the task of splitting into a second, people have been able to multitask and deal with addressing many problems concurren
There's this thing called a dictionary (Score:1)
and if you every find one (before they're all banned for being woke) look up a word called "prioritization". It's super cool.
Again, you've got a spoon's worth of plastic in your brain. So do I. We *all* do. Which one do you think you should be worried about?
You know what, nevermind. You're right. The plastic industry wouldn't lie to us, would they? I'm sure it's fine. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going running so I need to smoke a cigarette.
Re: (Score:2)
The sudden rise in depression and anxiety in teens, particularly teen girls, happened conspicuously at the same time as smartphones and constant access to social media became common in high schools. Lots more data available in the book " [1]The Anxious Generation [google.ca]."
[1] https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Anxious_Generation/I03HEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover
Re: (Score:1)
Really to bad more of the Slashdotoriitti won't read that book. It is a thorough and reasoned response to the boring arguments and nonsensical excuses to OMG we can't possibly do anything to make online life safer for children but we can and must regulate ever other aspect of human life that has taken hold here.
Re: (Score:2)
> declining birth rates ... the 10 roommates everybody needs to have to keep a roof over their head.
That's potentially 10 people you could have sex with.
Re: (Score:2)
in binary
Re: (Score:1)
Not much of an FP. Do you read much off the Web?
On the story I recommend The Anxious Generation where he presents lots of data that smartphones are really bad for kids. I found it mostly persuasive, but there are two other related books I haven't been able to read yet. Stolen Focus sounds more promising than the other one. But seems unlikely anyone around here has read it...