Discussion about mobile phone ban at schools: Pro and Contra in Austria!

Discussion about mobile phone ban at schools: Pro and Contra in Austria!

The discussion about a general ban on cell phones in schools is in full swing and ensures heated debates throughout Austria. Some schools, such as those in Carinthia, have already implemented such a ban. This topic was also taken up in the Deutschlandsberg region, where different opinions can be heard among school leaders. Several schools report on existing regulations on the use of cell phones: The Musik Middle School Eibiswald has had a ban for two years in which cell phones are moved in, while other schools report a rather loose handling in which cell phones only have to remain in their school bag. According to Bettina Bulla, head of a compulsory school cluster in Deutschlandsberg, the training of children for safe cell phone use is already part of the lesson.

expertise and opinions of the headmaster

The opinions of educational experts differ. For example, the child and adolescent psychiatrist Ernst Berger emphasizes that bans are not the solution. In an interview with Vienna Today he criticizes that one should first deal with the content and problems of the young people instead of prohibiting immediately. According to him, media education should be operated in order to better train students in dealing with digital media. Barbara Buchegger from Saferternet.at adds that more training for teachers is needed to point out the dangers on the Internet. In schools such as the Middle School Groß St. Florian, the pupils' personal responsibility is promoted by passing fixed rules for mobile phone use.

Overall, it is clear that the topic of mobile phone use in schools not only has local effects, but also initiated an important nationwide debate. While there are strict regulations in some schools, you advocate more autonomy in others, so that every school can decide for itself what is in the best interest of your students. This discussion reflects the current trend, where schools in many countries, e.g. B. in Italy and Belgium, already switch to mobile prohibition labels to improve the learning environment, as can be seen in the reports of Meinverzirk.