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posted by chromas on Wednesday August 01 2018, @11:19PM   Printer-friendly
from the bans dept.

French schoolchildren will have to leave their smartphones switched off or at home as the new academic year begins in September, after lawmakers voted for a ban on Monday.

The ban on smartphones, tablets and other connected devices, which will apply to pupils up to the age of 14-15, fulfils[sic] a campaign promise by centrist President Emmanuel Macron, while being derided as "cosmetic" by the opposition.

MPs of Macron's centrist LREM party and its allies gave final approval to the bill, while lawmakers on the left and right abstained from the vote, calling the law a "publicity stunt" that would change nothing.

Under the new law, schools may make exceptions for "pedagogical use", extra-curricular activities, or for disabled pupils.

Secondary schools for their part can decide individually whether to impose a partial or total ban on connected devices.


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  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday August 02 2018, @12:25PM (4 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday August 02 2018, @12:25PM (#716164) Journal
    It's a terrible idea because you're using the power of the state when the power of the teacher and school was more than sufficient. bob_super [soylentnews.org] said it best:

    you can't argue with me, because I have the law on my side

    One of the many points of education is to help people think for themselves. Bringing in the power of the state to handle mundane educational issues is ripe for disruption of the educational environment, abuse, and one of the notorious slippery slopes of governance. On that last point, today, it might be cell phones in the classroom, tomorrow it might be legitimate disagreement with the teacher, and the day after, insufficient enthusiasm for the Dear Leader.

    OTOH, I can see the utility of such laws in my profession [accounting]. "You can't crumple those reports you send me or put too many staples in it, because I have the law on my side". No longer am I an impotent schmuck just doing my job, but I have a taste of real power! Maybe a $50 fine per extra staple with a visit by local law enforcement to deliver the ticket? That sounds giddily reasonable, don't you think? What could possibly go wrong?

  • (Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Thursday August 02 2018, @12:58PM (3 children)

    by fido_dogstoyevsky (131) <axehandleNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Thursday August 02 2018, @12:58PM (#716178)

    It's a terrible idea because you're using the power of the state when the power of the teacher and school was more than sufficient.

    Actually "the power of the teacher and school" is, all too often, insufficient with too many parents.

    --
    It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.
    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday August 03 2018, @03:06AM (2 children)

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday August 03 2018, @03:06AM (#716534) Journal

      Actually "the power of the teacher and school" is, all too often, insufficient with too many parents.

      Even in cases where that is true, the French law will do nothing to change the situation for the better. And why should we do stupid things just because some school systems are incompetently run?

      • (Score: 2) by fido_dogstoyevsky on Friday August 03 2018, @03:48AM (1 child)

        by fido_dogstoyevsky (131) <axehandleNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Friday August 03 2018, @03:48AM (#716543)

        Even in cases where that is true, the French law will do nothing to change the situation for the better. And why should we do stupid things just because some school systems are incompetently run?

        The law probably will change things for the better because the worst offenders know the limits of what schools can do but fear what the police can do.

        Not "incompetently run" but unable to police existing laws against assault.

        --
        It's NOT a conspiracy... it's a plot.
        • (Score: 1) by khallow on Friday August 03 2018, @11:46AM

          by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Friday August 03 2018, @11:46AM (#716634) Journal

          The law probably will change things for the better because the worst offenders know the limits of what schools can do but fear what the police can do.

          Ridiculous. I think instead it will change it for the worse for precisely that reason. The police have no reason to be involved here. Involving them creates various opportunities for mischief, such as school authorities using the power of the law to bully students and parents they don't like.

          Not "incompetently run" but unable to police existing laws against assault.

          First, that is completely irrelevant. Assault is already illegal and schools don't police laws in the first place. The police police. The schools educate. Second, such problems come about because the school in question is poorly run. Sorry, I don't buy that there are huge collections of mean parents out there that force France to pass laws regulating behavior of students (who let us note aren't the parents). Use these occasions of students ignoring rules as signs to replace the school employees enabling the behavior.