Will phones be banned in schools?

Is the use of mobile phones prohibited at your school?

Do students respect this rule?

These decisions have been backed by research.

The research warns that excessive use of phones harms children’s health and their ability to learn and socialize.

Even in Slovenia, young people are spending more and more time in front of screens.

The petition, which was among the first to be signed by the President of the Republic, Nataša Pirc Musar, was prepared by the Center for Sustainable Rural Development in Kranj.

The situation our children are living in is alarming. We need to wake up, sober up, and take action immediately. We need to change this.

Vlasta Juršak, project manager

Excessive use of devices contributes to a host of problems:

• attention deficit disorder (ADD), difficulty reading and understanding material,
• mental problems,
• less sports activity, which leads to excess weight,
• reducing socializing with friends,
• exposure to inappropriate content,
• abuse and harassment, and
• digital addiction.

Schools should be safe environments where children learn, create, and socialize, not places where technology addiction deepens and violence increases.

Restricting cell phones in schools is necessary, confirms Mojca Mihelič, president of the Association of Principals.

Devices make children antisocial and put them in situations that we adults have never experienced – precisely because we have not been exposed to them.

Mojca Mihelič

The Slovene Ministry of Education says that this is a broader social problem. A ban will not solve it, as it is already enforced in most schools.

Solutions are being discussed and will be proposed this month.

Glossary

A petition is a written statement to resolve an issue. It is intended for decision-makers.

A person who is antisocial is someone who does not socialize with their peers and does not integrate well into society.

Points to Consider

1. How much time do you spend on your phone?
2. Do you use it at school?
3. How much do you hang out with friends?

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The original version of this article was published on February 26^th.