Cellular devices are no longer being prohibited in educational institutions
Mobile Phone Use in Schools: Baden-Württemberg Moves Towards Regulation
In Baden-Württemberg, a debate on the use of mobile phones and digital devices in schools is gaining momentum. While the state does not currently have a universal mobile phone ban, there are moves to establish legal foundations for such a policy.
Minister President Winfried Kretschmann (Greens) has expressed his support for using digital learning and teaching methods, but has acknowledged the need for regulations to ensure legal certainty. He emphasized that rules for private mobile phone use can interfere with property, necessitating a legal regulation.
Different regulations are being proposed for primary schools, secondary schools, and vocational schools, according to Sandra Boser, Culture State Secretary (Greens). Informatics and Media Education will be a compulsory subject in all secondary schools by the 2025/2026 school year.
The use of mobile phones, tablets, or smartwatches in class remains the responsibility of the teaching staff. Teachers can intervene if the "learning-promoting environment" is disturbed. This applies to excursions and class trips as well.
However, not everyone is in agreement with Kretschmann's stance. Thomas Speck, head of the Vocational School Teachers' Association, has criticized the proposed regulations, stating that teachers often face payment demands for damaged hardware in practice and feel abandoned.
Gerhard Brand, the chairman of the Education and Training Union, has also expressed concerns, stating that it needs to be clarified who is liable if a submitted phone gets damaged. Even Timm Kern, former high school teacher and education spokesman of the FDP state parliament fraction, has expressed cautious praise for the mobile phone ban in schools.
The GEW, the State Parents' and Students' Council, and Kern have emphasized the need for comprehensive and regular training for teachers, adjusting teaching plans, and firmly embedding media didactics in teacher training, as well as the need for 'digital caretakers' at schools to relieve teachers and school management.
Before the start of the holidays, guidelines, formulation suggestions, and sample school regulations will be provided. Schools will be allowed to determine the final design of a possible mobile phone ban through their school regulations. The Ministry of Culture will recommend that primary schools set narrower limits.
If it turns out that the scope is not used often enough, the law provides for the Ministry of Culture to take action through a regulation. Sebastian Kölsch and Joshua Meisel, chairs of the state parents' and students' council, have reported that regulations have already been included in the school regulations in many places. A flash survey among members conducted by Meisel found no school without such a concept.
As the debate continues, it is clear that Baden-Württemberg is moving towards establishing regulations for mobile phone use in schools, aiming to promote focus, social interaction, and protect students from digital overload, while maintaining a balance that considers the needs of teachers and students alike.
Further education on digital caretaking and media didactics is considered essential by various stakeholders for effective implementation of the mobile phone policy in schools. A balance in policy-and-legislation regarding mobile phone use and education-and-self-development, especially in the context of digital learning, is essential for promoting academic success and minimizing potential distractions. Moving forward, general-news will closely follow the development of these regulations and their impact on the educational landscape in Baden-Württemberg.
