By a majority, MPs voted on Thursday afternoon a bill to an “effective ban” of mobile phones in schools and colleges.
The National Assembly voted on Thursday 7th June, 2018 a proposed law by the LREM aimed at an “effective ban” of mobile phones in schools and colleges at the beginning of the next school year, defended by the government as “a signal to society” .
The text, adopted by a show of hands at first reading, won the votes of the majority LREM and MoDem, as well as the UDI-Agir . All the other groups have denounced a “useless” proposal even a “tartufferie” (LR), which amounts to a “simple communication operation”, many of them nevertheless opting for abstention like the Socialists and Insoumis .
The bill proposes to prohibit the use of any connected object in kindergartens, elementary schools and colleges, “except for educational uses”, except where “the rules of procedure expressly authorize it”.
“It’s not a law for appearances,” says the minister
The code of education already prohibits, since the law of the 12th July, 2010, Mobile phones “during any teaching activity and in the places provided by the rules of procedure”. But in response to critics of the opposition on the “superfluous” nature of the text, the Minister of Education Jean-Michel Blanquer defended the need “a much stronger legal basis”, ensuring that this is not “Not a law for appearances”.
The text was virtually unchanged during its consideration in the hemicycle. An LREM amendment, similar to an UDI-Agir amendment, has however been adopted to include in the law the possibility for teachers to confiscate mobile phones.
The minister was in favour, saying it was important to give a “robust for confiscation” legal basis, LR judging again the measure “useless”, since already possible.
LREM elected officials have also asked, unsuccessfully, that we plan a yearly week of teaching without screen, the Minister believes that this is not under the law, although he said he was in favor of “encouraging this type of experiences “.
The elected members of the majority group, who had planned to extend the ban on mobile phones to staff and teachers, have backtracked. The minister said it would be “not appropriate”, especially to avoid “adverse effects” in terms of security.
