Headline: Spanish Parents and Schools Divided over Mobile Phone Ban Debate
In Spain, a heated debate surrounding the use of mobile phones in schools has divided parents and educators. WhatsApp groups across the country are buzzing with discussions on whether schools should ban mobile phones, attracting thousands of participants.
The issue was first raised in Barcelona when Elisabet Garcia Permanyer, a mother of three school-age children, initiated a group chat with fellow parents. She expressed her reluctance to succumb to societal pressure that suggests secondary school students should be allowed to have their own mobile phones.
The group chat, which now includes around 10,000 parents from different neighborhoods in the city, serves as a platform for sharing information and addressing concerns related to mobile phone usage among students. It has even led to the creation of a document that parents can sign, pledging not to purchase a mobile phone for their child until they reach the age of 16.
The debate over mobile phone bans in educational facilities is not limited to Spain. According to a recent UNESCO report, one out of four countries globally has implemented laws prohibiting the use of mobile phones in classrooms. While this topic remains contentious throughout Europe, consensus is hard to achieve.
In Spain, different autonomous regions have adopted varying approaches to mobile phone use in schools. Some regions have implemented a complete legal ban, while others have taken a more lenient stance. However, the lenient approach does not appear to be effective.
This year, many Spanish schools have imposed stricter rules regarding phone usage during class hours. Education officials in Catalonia reported that 53% of schools in the region are moving towards implementing tougher regulations.
For instance, a secondary school in Palma de Mallorca now prohibits students from bringing their devices into school. If they fail to comply, the phones must be placed in a designated box until the end of the day. This change is motivated by the need to prevent various issues, including taking unauthorized photos of students or teachers, disruptive ringing or buzzing, and cheating during exams.
Tomeu Bauzá Gayá, a 16-year-old student from Palma de Mallorca, described the new rules as a significant shift from previous years. He acknowledged that some teachers relied on mobile devices for their lessons. However, due to students’ failure to adhere to the rules, stronger measures were deemed necessary.
However, experts have not reached a unanimous scientific consensus on the effects of mobile phone use on adolescents. Nevertheless, there is evidence suggesting that it may lead to lower academic performance.
Toni Socies, a Latin teacher in Barcelona, contends that mobile phones have no place in schools. At his institution, mobile phones were entirely banned this year, resulting in what he described as marvelous classes. Socies himself refrains from utilizing technology in his teaching, partly because Latin can be learned using traditional tools like pen, paper, and a dictionary. Additionally, he expresses concerns about students losing fundamental skills such as reading and writing.
Despite his reservations, Socies takes advantage of the fact that his school, and many others in Catalonia, ensure that every student has access to a personal laptop for research purposes during their classical culture lessons. However, even laptops proved to be distracting to students, leading to storage in a cabinet when not needed. Socies argues that if schools cannot afford to provide every student with a laptop, it is better for none of them to have one, as he believes they are unnecessary for learning numerous subjects.
The viewpoint expressed by the Latin teacher aligns with the findings of the UNESCO report, which suggests that resources allocated to technology should be redirected towards improving classrooms, enhancing teacher support, and providing textbooks to children in low and lower-middle-income countries. The report emphasizes the need to ensure universal secondary schooling and basic learning competencies for all students, particularly those disadvantaged children who often lack access to technology.
The issue of mobile phone bans is not exclusive to Spain. Other European countries, including France, Italy, Portugal, Finland, and the Netherlands, have implemented similar restrictions or are planning to do so in the future. Even Sweden, which ranked ninth in the PIRLS report on reading comprehension while Spain and Catalonia ranked low, has reconsidered its plan to digitize classrooms by 2023.
In the United Kingdom, new guidance from the Department for Education supports headteachers in prohibiting mobile phone use throughout the school day, including break times. This measure aims to address disruptive behavior, online bullying, and enhance students’ attention during lessons. It aligns with the government’s broader efforts to raise educational standards.
The debate surrounding the use of mobile phones in schools is far from settled. As schools continue to grapple with finding the right balance between technology integration and academic focus, the perspectives of parents, educators, and experts remain crucial in shaping future policies and regulations.
