MENDE: French President Emmanuel Macron on Sept 1 told high school pupils that phones and social networks were "not good" for them, arguing that even at the Elysee presidential palace attendees were asked to give up their devices before meetings.
Macron pushed for children to spend less time in front of screens, as France's ban on cell phones in high schools came into force on the first day of the new term on Sept 1.
Visiting a school in the southern town of Mende, the French president defended his stance, arguing smartphones are a distraction and an obstacle to learning.
"Inside the school grounds it's not good to have your phone," he said. "It's not compatible with paying attention in classes."
Macron implied he practised what he preached.
"When I have meetings, for example at the Elysee now, I ask people to hand in their mobile phones," he said. "Otherwise, even at the Elysee, you have meetings with people, and they're all on their phones."
"If we're honest with ourselves, we've all been somewhat overwhelmed by this," he added.
'Infantilising'
The pupils had been asked to hand over their phones, placing them in a dedicated numbered storage unit mounted on the classroom wall.
Several students spoke up, with some saying they understood the new ban, while others argued it was "infantilising" in a world where mobile phones had become ubiquitous.
In 2018, France banned children from using mobile phones in primary schools and colleges – the schools attended between the ages of 11 and 15.
While teacher unions warned that the ban might be hard to implement quickly, school staff across France rushed to enforce the new rules, telling their charges it was time to wean themselves off smartphones.
Julie Bouvry, head teacher at a school in eastern Paris, told pupils the devices would be banned even in corridors and the cafeteria.
"We don't want this to become a source of tension," she said.
Her school has purchased around 100 lockable pouches to avoid outright confiscations.
In the central city of Lyon, Raphael Corrao, a teaching assistant at a vocational secondary school, said he was in favour of the ban.
He said pupils had phones in their hands "all the time".
"What it really leads to is lots of pupils on their phones who don't actually connect with each other."
'Risky'
Many high-school pupils voiced frustration.
Akram, 15, said some children relied on phones to reach family in emergencies.
"Say, someone's having a problem, like an anxiety attack, and only their mum knows about it," he said. "And if you don't have your phone to hand at that moment, it can be very risky because you can't get help directly from your parents."
Some indicated they would find a way to work around the ban.
"It's pointless," said Magda, 16, adding that in colleges some children sneak to the toilets to check their phones.
High school students had regularly used their smartphones to check timetable changes, room assignments and other school information.
Education Minister Edouard Geffray said exemptions to the law may be granted, particularly for students with disabilities.
Macron also wanted to bar children from apps such as TikTok, but France's top court struck down the proposed legislation on freedom of expression grounds in August.
The French government had promoted the ban as a way to better protect young people from the harmful effects associated with social media platforms, including anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and online harassment.
Macron indicated on Sept 1 he had no plans to give up on his push.
"We have seen that the more we are exposed to screens and social media, the harder it becomes to sustain our attention and concentrate on reading," Macron said. – AFP
