Czech school institutes ban on mobile phones in September

Schools worldwide are cracking down on cell phone use in the classroom amid growing concerns over the detrimental impacts of excessive smartphone access. Restrictions at schools across the US, U.K., and Europe aim to mitigate distractions, inappropriate behaviors, and other harmful effects linked to unfettered access to smartphones.

A school in the Czech city of Vsetín is the latest to join this growing trend, having decided to ban phones throughout the school day in its local primary schools.

The city management of Vsetín has mandated the principals of six elementary schools to implement a drastic new policy regarding students’ use of mobile phones. Starting in September, the schools will ban the use of cell phones not just during classes but throughout the school day.

"Various studies repeatedly confirm the fact that the use of mobile phones is harmful to children. They all agree on the negative effect of mobile phones on the development of children's brains, which leads to a limited vocabulary, problems with long-term memory, impaired ability to empathize, establish relationships or sleep disorders, anxiety, depression," Mayor Jiří Čunek told Novinky.cz.

The mayor hopes the ban will also reduce bullying in schools, pointing to mobile phones as a tool for spreading it via social networks.

Under the new policy, students will have to hand over their cell phones to teachers when they arrive at school, and will only get them back when they leave. The city is already looking for lockable lockers to store the phones.

“The clerks will pick up all the cell phones and lock them up in them. If someone does not hand over the mobile phone, it will violate school rules, and the principal will deal with it with the offending pupils,” Čunek said, adding that the sanctions would range from a warning to a class or principal reprimand.

The mayor’s new policy has faced criticism from parents, who argue it infringes on their rights as and hearkens back to the socialist era.

“I think you should be mainly concerned about the city’s safety, not making decisions for your parents. It reminds me quite a bit of the scene from my school years when teachers sent boys to the barber because they decided for the parents how long their children’s hair could be,” one parent wrote on social media.

The mayor mentioned that many younger parents wish to stay connected with their children. He stated that it’s not appropriate for mothers to call their children during school breaks or while they are having a snack.

“I hope parents understand. We are concerned with children’s education so that they can concentrate better and not think about when they will receive a message,” added Čunek who argued that these parents themselves attended schools even without constant contact with their parents.

The city management’s decision is in accordance with the amendment to the Education Act, which “allows such extensive strict measures to be implemented,” said central school inspector of the Czech School Inspectorate, Tomáš Zatloukal. “It is technically possible to hand in your mobile phone at the beginning of class and get it when you leave school. The school takes full responsibility for the children. It is not about restricting rights,” said Zatloukal.

The move by the Czech city mirrors similar policies being implemented in other countries. In the Netherlands, a nationwide ban on mobile phones and smartwatches in schools, including secondary schools, was introduced this year.

Teachers have reported positive results, with students being calmer, more focused, and interacting with each other more during breaks. Some schools in the US have also banned mobile phones for students, though it is not a nationwide policy, and they, too, have seen benefits from the restrictions.

New York City, Los Angeles, and the state of Virginia have all prohibited student phones in classrooms. At the same time, the UK government has issued nationwide guidance for schools in England to enforce comprehensive bans on mobile use during the school day, including breaks. These actions align with policies in European countries like France, Italy, and Portugal.