Parliament of the state voted against the proposal to prohibit mobile phone usage at elementary schools - Legislative body refrains from enforcing mobile phone ban in elementary schools
Mobile Phone Ban in Saxony's Elementary Schools Rejected
In a parliamentary vote, proposals for a legal mobile phone ban in Saxony's elementary schools were rejected. The proposal, submitted by the Alliance for Progress and Democracy (APD), failed to garner the necessary majority. Only the APD, the AfD, and independent member of parliament Matthias Berger, who was initially a Free Voter, supported the proposal. The governing CDU rejected the idea in advance.
Culture Minister Conrad Clemens (CDU) exhibited unexpected support for a ban, acknowledging that, though unregulated, it already exists in most elementary schools via school regulations. In the parliamentary session, Clemens called for a "results-open mobile phone summit" on August 28th, inviting parliamentarians, teachers, and experts to discuss the issue.
Previously, the parliamentary business manager of the CDU faction, Sören Voigt, stated that while everyone agrees that mobile phones are distracting for children, each school handles this matter on its own responsibility. The question remains whether everything should be regulated by law, according to Voigt. He underlined the need for children to learn to handle mobile phones.
The APD advocated for a comprehensive concept for the use of digital media, emphasizing that children should focus on essentials such as reading, writing, and arithmetic in elementary school. They proposed banning only private mobile phones, along with a pedagogical overall concept for meaningful digital media use in all schools and a further training concept for teachers.
The SPD argued that no top-down ban was necessary, advocating instead for trust and common rules at the local level. Schools have been self-regulating this issue for quite some time.
Federal Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) backed a ban on private mobile phone use in elementary schools, citing them as "protected spaces" where children should not be exposed to social media or digital communication via electronic devices. She highlighted the importance of media education for children to navigate the digital world safely.
Several federal states, as well as certain European countries, have already implemented regulations regarding mobile phone use in schools. A scientific expert commission has also been established to examine the challenges posed by mobile phones and their impact on children’s concentration and well-being. This initiative underscores growing concerns among education officials and policymakers about smartphones in schools nationwide.
- The community policy debate involving mobile phone usage in Saxony's elementary schools encompasses various opinions, with some advocating for a vocational training-like approach focusing on media education and digital self-development.
- In the broader context of policy-and-legislation, the rejection of the mobile phone ban proposal is not the end of the discussion, as debates about education and self-development, along with the implementation of clear guidelines and vocational training for meaningful digital media use in schools, continue to dominate the general news.
