Smartphones Banned in French Schools
Selfies on social media are common among students. But it would not be possible this academic year for many French teens. Why? Because French lawmakers just passed a law earlier this week prohibiting use of smartphones in schools.
This new law was backed by French President Emmanuel Macron who Tweeted on Monday, “The general ban on mobile phones in schools and colleges has been definitively adopted by the National Assembly today,” said Macron’s translated tweet. “Commitment held.”
Time is running out especially for selfie fanatics next month especially if once the law goes to effect, students will be saying goodbye ‘temporarily’ to their smartphones once they are in school.
The law was passed because the French believe young children and teens are tethered to their gadgets and this leaves them distracted in their classes and academic activities.
What The Law Entails
The law entails prohibition of smartphones in schools. It calls for students to either leave their phones at home or keep them switched off during school hours. The measure prohibits the use of tablets, computers, and other internet-connected devices as well. This will take effect in September.
This is applicable to students as old as 15. But still, there are some exemptions. They can use smartphones for educational purposes or certain extracurricular activities, and for those who have a disability.
This is not the first time the French government banned smartphones in schools. In fact, in 2010, teachers were banned from using smartphones in all teaching activity. In addition, French lawmakers banned texting in cars even when pulled over on the side of the road.
Addicting Use of Electronic Devices Causes Insufficient Sleep Among Teens
Aside from the fact that addictive use of cellphones can hamper the focus of students with regards to their studies, the prevalent use of smartphones keeps many teens awake at night as well, according to a study headed by American researchers.
According to the study, teens who spend more than two hours a day on their smartphones get fewer than seven hours of sleep each night. Aside from that, as time spent on smartphones increased, so did the percentage of teens getting insufficient sleep.
This key finding was the first strong evidence to date that teens’ increased use of electronic devices in recent years is responsible for similar rises in insufficient sleep. This is alarming especially it is a known fact that insufficient sleep affects one’s performance, and in the case of teens, their performance in academics is jeopardized.
