cell phones banned in this college, students confirm

Thursday 16th January 2025 06:21 PM

Cell phones have been banned at Philéas-Lebesgue college in Marseille-en-Beauvaisis since the start of the school year. And the measure is a success. The students understand the interest, the teachers and parents applaud.

Who would have imagined that the measure would go down so well with college students? And yet, since the start of the school year, everyone has complied with the “digital break” without any problem. In short, they no longer use their phone during the day.

Although the law has banned cell phones in colleges since 2018, implementation sometimes proves complicated.

“I sanctioned videos taken in class and broadcast on the networks«

Nathalie Lafilé, principal of the college Philéas-Lebesgue in Marseille-en-Beauvaisis

So, when colleges were asked nationally to experiment with this digital break, Nathalie Lafilé, principal of Philéas-Lebesgue, did not hesitate: “I immediately said yes, even before knowing what the means were going to be.”

For Jean-Paul Obellianne, the academic director of the National Education Services of Oise (DASEN), the experiment carried out in four establishments in the department will result in the 2018 law “more efficient« .

The cell phone in the locker

Using the cell phone was problematic. “I sanctioned videos taken in class and broadcast on the networks” reports the principal. Middle school students also informed their parents of certain facts by SMS before the school was aware. Facts often non-existent or distorted. “ It was unbearable” summarizes Nathalie Lafilé

“For practical application” We decided to play on empowering young people, especially since we do not have enough educational assistants to check at the entrance” specifies the main one.

Since October 1, students must respect the new regulations. As soon as they arrive, they put their phone in a locker (1 locker per student in 6th grade, 1 locker for two students in 5th and 4th grade). The 3rd graders leave it in their schoolbag but they will soon have lockers.

For putting into practice “ We decided to play on empowering young people, especially since we do not have enough educational assistants to check at the entrance” specifies the main one.

“We are no longer afraid of being photographed without our knowledge”

And everything is going well. Many teenagers leave their phones at home. “Less than 3% of students have been caught with their phone since September. There are still some problems on social networks but ten times less.” A teenage girl notes: “ It’s really good, because we are no longer afraid of being photographed or filmed without our knowledge”.

“Before, we feared having our phone stolen. With the locker it’s reassuring” added a friend. As for Elisa and Charlotte, 3rd grade students, they even set a limit at home.

Another effect: in the playground, there are more conversations. When preparing for a trip to England, where cell phones will be banned, a student recommends bringing board games.

On the parents and teachers side, the observation is positive. A physical education teacher remarks: “Before, there were phones in jogging pants, you had to manage them in the locker rooms”. A father is happy to see the children “play the game”.

Only use of the smartphone authorized: in the educational context. Teachers must then present the project to the principal and inform parents one week before. For the moment, management has not received any files.

The 4 Oise colleges affected by the digital break

In Oise, 4 colleges are experimenting with the digital break among the 200 in France: Les Frères-Le-Nain, in Laon; Philippe-Lebesgue, in Marseille-en-Beauvaisis; Maréchal-Leclerc de Hauteclocque, in Beaucamps-le-Vieux; Arthur-Rimbaud, in Amiens. For Jean-Paul Obellianne, academic director of the National Education Services of Oise (Dasen), the experiment carried out in four establishments in the department will result in the 2018 law “more efficient« .