from our correspondent in Madrid – Born in Barcelona, the “Adolescence without cell phones” movement is gaining momentum throughout Spain. For several weeks, parents have been mobilizing against their teenagers’ early and unlimited access to smartphones. The action had such a repercussion that the government took up the issue.
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Every morning it’s the same ritual at the Dragon American School, a bilingual school in the Madrid suburbs. Before entering class, Carolina places her phone in a closed pouch, under the watchful eye of the principal. “I forget it, I put it in my bag and I can’t touch it anymore,” says the 17-year-old student, smiling. In the establishment, the smartphone has been banned for three years. The 220 students, aged 12 to 18, are prohibited from using it during class or during break time.
At 12:30 p.m., English teacher Darcy Cadman begins her third class of the day. No cell phones in the classroom. The objective is not to disrupt learning, and the results are significant. “By storing the phone in a pouch, we save those ten minutes that it sometimes takes to get the students’ attention,” explains Darcy Cadman. “It’s really nice, because when we arrive in class, they are already seated and wait for class to start.”
Today, students must make oral presentations. Each group has chosen a theme and will present their work to the rest of the class. Darcy Cadman passes between the students to guide them according to their difficulties. “I can clearly see that they are more attentive, that they pay more attention to each other. They are also more active in class,” she declares with satisfaction.
A pioneering school in banning telephones
During recess, the students also learned to do without screens. While some chat while eating a snack in the cafeteria, others play cards while laughing or read a book in silence. Outside, while the December frost covered the basketball court, the bravest braved the cold and played table football.
Laia chats with two friends on a sofa. When the question of the telephone comes up again, she smiles. “It’s true that at the beginning I had a little difficulty getting used to it. I didn’t have it and I wondered what I would do if there was an emergency, for example,” recalls the young girl. But now I’m used to it… It’s easier and I don’t think about it anymore.”
The American Dragon School is a pioneer in the telephone ban in Spain. A source of pride but also a necessary act for the director of the establishment, Helder Marques. “It was logical for me to put this operation in place. We are looking for the best initiatives for our students, so that they learn more and so that they are more attentive to each other and to their teachers. facilitate better learning,” he explains.
But banning phone use is not so easy. In Spain, when they enter middle school, it is customary for children to receive their first smartphone. To avoid giving in to social pressure, parents took action. In Barcelona, a spontaneous movement, called “Adolescence without cell phones”, has even emerged to denounce the dangers of screens among young people.
This Thursday, December 14, a debate brings together for the first time parents, health professionals and teachers in the Barcelona district of Poblenou. This is where the movement was created last September. Each in turn, the participants discuss their concerns about the telephone, which is used more and more often. These parents move forward together to feel stronger. They have also received the support of several official organizations such as the Spanish Data Protection Agency and the Madrid Order of Physicians.
Put pressure on politicians
The cell phone is not just an object. Most of the time, parents feel helpless in the face of the increase in the use of social networks and the Internet among young people, which they consider worrying. The Telegram group of the “Adolescence without cell phones” movement now has more than 10,000 members, and local variations have been born in almost all regions of Spain.
Tamara Fernandez is part of the initiative. Spokesperson for the movement, this psychologist explains that the dangers are real: “Children face images that are not appropriate for their age. Today, violent or pornographic content is very easy to access and this It’s normal that this frightens parents.”
In a short time, the movement took on national proportions. From now on, thousands of parents are united behind the same cause: a total ban on telephones in high school. Tamara Fernandez views the mobilization very favorably. “We didn’t expect it to have such an impact. It was very well received throughout Spain. We hope that the initiative will grow more and more and that we will have more people with us to put pressure on politicians and for them to make a decision.”
The measure has already given the government pause. On December 13, 2023, the Minister of Education, Pilar Alegria, proposed to the autonomous communities to ban the telephone in primary schools and restrict its use in secondary schools, depending on each establishment. This proposal, which will include an expert consultation process, has been welcomed by regional education authorities. The minister said she intends to take the debate to the State School Board, which includes representatives of teachers, families and students. The objective is to discuss with the autonomous communities and find a solution for the beginning of 2024.
