Is the ban on cell phones in French schools, in effect since a 2018 law, not enough? Nearly 200 middle schools across the country are taking it a step further this school year by testing a complete "digital break." The 50,000 students concerned will have to leave their phones at the school entrance and pick them up at the end of the day.

Nicole Belloubet, the outgoing education minister who launched this experiment, said the goal is to improve student performance by reducing distractions and improving the atmosphere in schools. "A lot of bullying comes from the use of cell phones, including in schools, even though theoretically this is forbidden," she explained on Monday, September 2, on France Inter radio. The former rector announced during her back-to-school press conference on August 27 that this measure "should be rolled out as early as January 2025."

Despite the ban, it's not uncommon for students to check their phones at school. This "usage mainly happens in the restrooms," according to the screens committee, tasked with studying the impact of screen exposure on young people, in its report submitted to President Emmanuel Macron on April 30. "There is a massive exchange of content about what's going on in the neighborhood or in schools," it reads, "and phones are not always switched off during lessons."

Although "some isolated or occasional instances of non-compliance or tension may persist," these experts consider that the ban is currently "respected" and "does not present any major difficulties." They do, however, recommend "strengthening the ban's effectiveness" by giving school leaders the freedom to implement flexible or more restrictive measures.

The French government does not provide funding

With the digital break, Belloubet intends to test out the stricter approach. Each participating school must determine how to proceed and adjust its internal rules to make the system work. The authorities of administrative départements, which are responsible for school infrastructure and equipment, may be called upon to help purchase materials such as lockers or anti-radiation phone pouches. The French government does not provide funding.

The experiment, and even more so the announcement of its widespread implementation, has raised concerns among unions and local authorities alike. "The fight against bullying in schools is a crucial issue, but it requires much more than this gimmick," said Sophie Vénétitay, head of the SNES-FSU teachers' union. Bruno Bobkiewicz, head of the SNPDEN-UNSA school principals' union, agreed: "I don't really understand the rationale behind this proposal. The number one problem isn't the use of phones inside schools, which is already banned, but rather outside the school grounds."

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