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France To Ban Mobile Phones In Schools (theguardian.com)
The French government is planning to ban students from using mobile phones in the country's primary, junior and middle schools. While children will be permitted to bring their phones to school, they will not be allowed to get them out at any time until they leave, even during breaks. The Guardian reports: Jean-Michel Blanquer, the French education minister, said the measure would come into effect from the start of the next school year in September 2018. It will apply to all pupils from the time they start school at age of six -- up to about 15 when they start secondary school. Blanquer said some education establishments already prohibited pupils from using their mobiles. "Sometimes you need a mobile for teaching reasons [...] for urgent situations, but their use has to be somehow controlled," he told RTL radio. The minister said the ban was also a "public health message to families," adding: "It's good that children are not too often, or even at all, in front of a screen before the age of seven." The French headteachers' union was skeptical that the ban could be enforced.
Right from the start, I was completely surprised that any school anywhere has ever allow them.
I predict that French schools will have a serious lack of empty toilets in the foreseeable future. And for a change, it's not because of the quality of the cafeteria lunch.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
You had to have it on silent (not vibrate). If you got it out the teacher took until the end of class.
It would be better to teach students the etiquette of modern communication.
For example, not to talk loudly and continuously over the telephone in public transport.
"I need to be able to reach my child in an emergency!"
That's why they have an administrative office. You call there and they go contact your child if necessary. Worked just fine for 100 years. There is no educational value in allowing access to cell phones of any sort during the day. If there is an odd circumstance where a child really does need to carry their phone during class hours due to some special circumstance then the parent can arrange that through the school administration on a short term basis.
The blame lies more with smartphone-addicted parents than the school.
There is Truth in this. The basic question to ask is "what educational purpose is being fulfilled by allowing access to smartphones during school hours?" If there isn't one then there is no reason to allow them.
I predict that French schools will have a serious lack of empty toilets in the foreseeable future. And for a change, it's not because of the quality of the cafeteria lunch.
I think you may not be aware of how amazingly good the food is in French schools. Unlike in the US where we literally give prisoners better food than students which is just mind blowing.
So far I think the situation is that schools can't handle cell phone storage during school hours.
What are you talking about? They have lockers. Use them. For schools that don't have lockers either forbid them to bring the phones or come up with a secure box to store them during the day.
Imagine the liability issues.
What liability issues? This is made up nonsense. There simply aren't any and it's trivial to work out exceptions to the policy where reasonable. People already sue schools for idiotic reasons so it's hardly worth worrying about a few irrational parents making up new reasons to be irrational. If there is an emergency contact the administrative office or the teacher directly. If the teachers have phones (and most do) then there is no reason to worry about emergencies.
Plus it's a hell of a lot of work.
Schools are very well equipped to monitor students using forbidden items during the school day. They've been doing it literally since there were schools. They already do this so it's really nothing new at all.
Then kids can't have a phone on them on their way to school or home, which is probably a bad idea.
Bullshit. I never had a cell phone as a child and yet somehow I survived the fiery apocalypse. I reject the entire premise of this argument. Children younger than driving age are in most locations by definition with an adult the entire time they are transiting to/from school. Why would they need a phone? Children old enough to drive can leave the phone in the car or in their locker during the day. If a parent is worried about their child's safety, a phone isn't going to solve that problem. The parent should be with the child if they are worried about them.
Kids are more resilient than you give them credit for. That said I think that the French ban sounds like an excellent idea. Smartphones are nothing but a distraction during the school day. They can play with them as much as they want after school hours.
Not my child. My child is a fragile, delicate masterpiece without flaw. I must hover over my child 24/7 to prevent any teacher, adult, child, or government organization from implying that my little piece of perfection might have a flaw. In order to do this, they must text and call me constantly throughout the day so that I can verify that no one is making such absurd allegations.