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French School Students To Be Banned From Using Mobile Phones (theguardian.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the time-to-detox dept.

The lower house of parliament in France has passed what it called a "detox" law for a younger generation increasingly addicted to screens. As a result, French school students will be banned from using mobile phones anywhere on school grounds starting in September. The Guardian reports: The new law bans phone-use by children in school playgrounds, at breaktimes and anywhere on school premises. Legislation passed in 2010 already states children should not use phones in class. During a parliamentary debate, lawmakers from Macron's La Republique En Marche party said banning phones in schools meant all children now had a legal "right to disconnect" from digital pressures during their school day. Some in Macron's party had initially sought to go even further, arguing that adults should set an example and the the ban should be extended to all staff in schools, making teachers surrender their phones on arrival each morning. But Macron's education minister, Jean-Michel Blanquer, brushed this aside, saying it wasn't necessary to extend the ban to teachers and staff.

17 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. Sad generation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I pass about 8 school grounds (covering all age groups) on the way to work every day for over a decade. I remember it was always kids playing sports, on the swings, running around, etc. The last 5 years it's mostly sitting around and staring at phones.

    I'm so thankful I wasn't raised in this generation.

    1. Re:Sad generation by Peter+P+Peters · · Score: 4, Funny

      I pass about 8 school grounds (covering all age groups) on the way to work every day for over a decade. I remember it was always kids playing sports, on the swings, running around, etc. The last 5 years it's mostly sitting around and staring at phones.

      I'm so thankful I wasn't raised in this generation.

      My grandparents said the same thing. They used to ride horses to school and go fishing at lunchtime. We were slackers that bludged along on those new fangled bicycle thingies and simply ran around a field with a ball at lunch instead of having real fun. Nothing good would ever come from that apparently...

    2. Re:Sad generation by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I pass about 8 school grounds (covering all age groups)

      Where I live (San Jose, CA) the elementary schools ban devices. They can be powered off in a backpack, but can't be turned on during school hours.

      Middle schools and high schools are more permissive, banning only in-class use. At my daughter's high school, any student whose phone rings in class has to get up in front of the class and dance The Macarena. This is a surprisingly effective deterrent.

    3. Re:Sad generation by shess · · Score: 2

      I pass about 8 school grounds (covering all age groups) on the way to work every day for over a decade. I remember it was always kids playing sports, on the swings, running around, etc. The last 5 years it's mostly sitting around and staring at phones.

      I'm so thankful I wasn't raised in this generation.

      A year ago, I went with a group of scouts to Seabase in the Florida Keys. We spent a week on an island with no electronics of any kind, even watches. When we got back, the kids all spent their time playing odd physical games, while the various adult leaders were all sitting silently staring at their phones.

      I put my phone away at that point.

      BTW, did _you_ spend any time today outside just running around?

    4. Re: Sad generation by houghi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      My grat aunt was a teacher in the 1920s and told we had it better, because not starving so much. Also living in houses was a nice thing. Also the twowars where not a nice thing.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    5. Re:Sad generation by tehcyder · · Score: 2

      *for example my grandfather used to ride a horse to school at 7am every morning *after* milking the cows and helping with odd-jobs around the farm.

      A horse? You flash git.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  2. Good... by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They're also a distraction in lectures/classes -- you retain a lot more if you're taking notes on paper and not browsing the Internet. Honestly, this should extend to all electronic devices like laptops and tablets unless there's an accommodation for a disability.

  3. Legal right? by Nahor · · Score: 4, Insightful

    students will be banned from using mobile phones

    ...

    a legal "right to disconnect"

    Being forced to do something isn't a "right", unless you live in Oceania

    1. Re:Legal right? by tehcyder · · Score: 2

      there are many reasons why having phones in class is a good thing: shooters, terrorists, medical emergency

      All those should be covered by the responsible adults running the school. Seriously.

      fights

      I fail to see how the ability to video fights on your phone and post them on YouTube is some sort of fundamental human right.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  4. Re:Use paper by Humbubba · · Score: 2

    Ah, this is just an underhanded way to bring back the Minitel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minitel#Minitel_and_the_Internet

  5. Phones Are HELPFUL! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    My daughter's school had a water main break & flooding. They canceled school in the middle of the day. Her ability to call me was a godsend!

    Mind you, her phone stays in her locker all day. She can't use it in classes or during lunch. But when we need to coordinate after-school activities, having a phone available for texting or calls is a godsend!

    1. Re:Phones Are HELPFUL! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Little known fact: there were no after-school activities before the advent of cell phones. That was indeed the technology that finally enabled them.

    2. Re: Phones Are HELPFUL! by houghi · · Score: 5, Funny

      When I was a kid, I had no way of surviving when school was out earlier. And a result I was killed dead. Kids can nor be left unattended for any amount of time. Let me be an example, as I was killed dead because of it.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
  6. Not a drill by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2, Funny

    In the US, we can't ban mobile phones from schools because then how would students be able to tell their parents goodbye when they're hiding in a closet from a member of the well-regulated militia?

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  7. Re:French students will by mccalli · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Being more po-faced with that comment than I should be, the 2CV was actually a brilliant design for its intended purpose. It's one of the more famous automotive design briefs - it needed to be capable of carrying a basket of eggs across a farmer's ploughed field without breaking. That's why you end up with the design they got, with very high ground clearance. More here - the 2CV is a very under-appreciated car when taken out of context, but in context it was superb.

  8. Re:Secondary school by herve_masson · · Score: 2

    From TFA: "... in nursery, primary and middle-schools, until around the age of 15. "

    I'm so glad they passed this law (I'm French), and really surprized to see most people thinking that way. We went really far in kid's addiction to smartphones & social media ; time to control this shit a little. This is an important milestone.

  9. Children do not need phones in school by sjbe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    My daughter's school had a water main break & flooding. They canceled school in the middle of the day. Her ability to call me was a godsend!

    Do you suffer from the delusion that that sort of thing never happened prior to mobile phones being widely available? Here is a hint. The SCHOOL called you instead. I know, right? You might actually have to talk to an adult!

    Schools now can very easily send a blast message out to all parents via text or email. They also maintain call lists and other people have phones too. Your child would have survived just fine and worst case would have been bored for a few hours. Schools are well equipped to deal with this sort of thing.

    But when we need to coordinate after-school activities, having a phone available for texting or calls is a godsend!

    No it has become a crutch. It is not necessary. When I was school age I had no problem coordinating after school activities with my parents and I didn't get a mobile phone until I was 26. Your argument is specious.