Phone use banned in French schools from rentrée 2018

https://www.flickr.com/photos/intelfreepress/15471594162Intel Free Press / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0Schools will now have the power to ban phones by law

Smartphones and other devices are to be definitively banned from schools and colleges in France from September 2018 after the Assembly voted in favour of the move this week.



The ban was*first proposed to the Assembly in June*this year, with the decision now definitively taken in favour.

Parliament will now adopt the measure, and implement it across primary schools,*collèges*and certain*lycées*across the country from*la rentrée*this year onwards.

Students will not be able to use or access their smartphones or devices for the entire school day, including during breaks - except in establishments or circumstances allowing “specific authorisation”, such as for an urgent medical issue.

This is to encourage device-free interaction, stop distraction and notification noise during lessons, and reduce social media use and online bullying among young people.

The move will also target the playing of games such as the hugely-popular Minecraft and Pokémon Go.

As Jean-Michel Blanquer, national education minister,*has said: "Being open to future technology does not mean we have to accept it at all times or uses."

Over half of schools across France*are said to*already ban phones in schools, but this measure is expected to help them enforce their rules by law, and encourage other schools to follow suit.

According to the new rules, schools will be free to enforce the law as they see fit.

Some may ask students to keep phones away in bags and lockers, or may demand that students leave their phones at home in the first place.

Punishments for non-compliance may range from confiscating the phone on the spot - and only returning it at the end of the day - as well as after-school detention-style punishment, or calling parents into the school.





The ban*has been hailed*as a key success for President Emmanuel Macron, who promised to address the problem of phone and device usage in schools in his presidential election campaign.

The ministry of education has also championed the move as part of its mission to significantly reduce screen time for children “before the age of seven”.

The measure was supported by the LREM, MoDem, and UDI-Agir-Indépendents parties, with 62 votes in favour, versus just one against.

However, the LR party, the socialists, the communists, and Insoumis abstained from voting,*calling the measure*an “ad-hoc... political demonstration...that will not change anything”.

Other critics have expressed concern, including La Peep, one of the two largest public school parent groups.

La Peep president, Gérard Pommier,*said: “We do not think the conditions are right. Imagine a college of 600 students. Are they all going to put their phones into one big box? Where are schools going to keep them? And how will they make sure they get back to their owner?”

Others*have argued that*stopping phone usage at school will not stop social media or online bullying, as it will simply continue after school hours.



IMHO this should be an international ban as there is no valid reason why not.

What do you guys reckon?

*

 

Enforcement is always to issue with ideas like this. Implementing the rule/law is easy, enforcing is another matter. You'd have to have tough circumstances to make it work; suspension, expulsion for an entire year, a good punched in the face, etc. But, we all know the majority of spineless parents will cave to their children's complaining and beat down the schools/colleges to allow their sweet little snowflake the right to call mommy anytime they feel the need.

​​​​​​​ Brian.

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/e...-a7477386.html

I bet they can use a mobile phone though but haven't a clue how it works or about different cells. As they say, ignorance is bliss

 

https://www.verywellfamily.com/tween...sports-3287962

Written by a true idiot, life and work is totally competitive. You don't need team sports to be competitive, cycling, boxing etc. many sports aren't.

 

I think it's funny that you're citing The Independent in a thread railing against the use of cell phones or mobiles. You do realize the ONLY way anyone can read The Independent is online. They ceased publishing in the traditional sense about 2 years ago. I'm sure you're also aware that, these days, The Independent is about as highly regarded for its cutting edge journalism as our National Inquirer. The Independent's finest days are in the past.

Did you actually read the article? It spoke of "controversial" changes in how the ciriculum was to be taught beginning in 2014. Coupled with "tough, new exams" created to "raise exectations" that led to the poor test results. It sounds to me like either the "controversial" changes were poorly designed or there wasn't adequate time or effort allowed to affect the desired changes. If programs were significantly changed and then two years later "tough, new exams" were employed to validate the changes, it sound like more of an issue with those in charge of the changes rather than the poor children who are being used to prove some kind of point.

Where do you get this stuff and why do you let it bother you so much?

 

Again, where and how do you find this stuff and why let it bother you?