"Safe storage"

Parents’ representatives for a ban on cell phones in compulsory schools

In Austria, there is no nationwide regulation for the use of cell phones in schools.

(Bild: Iakov Filimonov)

Smartphones are increasingly becoming a problem in Austrian schools. Throughout Austria, there are increasing calls for a ban on cell phones, at least for the youngest pupils - teachers and parents could see some merit in this. But the pupils are skeptical.

In Carinthia, elementary school were ordered by decree to prohibit the use of cell phones during lessons and breaks; in Styria, this even applies up to the 2nd grade, in Vienna up to the 4th grade of secondary school. Now the umbrella organization of compulsory school parents' associations is also exerting pressure for a cell phone ban at primary, secondary and special schools.

In Austria, there is no nationwide regulation for the use of cell phones in schools. It would not even be possible for the education ministry or the education directorates in the provinces to issue guidelines, as the ministry recently clarified its legal position. The decrees can only be prompts because "the school partnership committees are independent and cannot be instructed to include regulations in a certain way in the house rules". In practice, the decision is therefore still made by the representatives of teaching staff, parents and - in the case of older pupils - pupils on site, even in the federal states with their own regulations. Nevertheless, there have recently been calls for a general regulation in other federal states.

Parents call for a focus on basic skills
The compulsory school parents' association also urged a general ban on cell phones at compulsory schools on Tuesday. The focus there must finally be placed on the acquisition of basic skills - reading, arithmetic and writing - it demanded in a press release. In elementary school, the digi.case materials could be used to teach computer literacy without digital devices and in secondary level 1, all young people would have a digital device anyway thanks to the device initiative. "There is no need for an additional cell phone in class," says Ilse Schmid from the Styrian Compulsory School Association. However, it is repeatedly reported that pupils still need an internet-enabled cell phone for specific learning content or projects. This is a "financial imposition" and a problem for parents who deliberately do not give their children a cell phone, criticized the parents' representatives. In practice, parents would then face the problem of getting their children away from the digital devices.

However, they do not want a general ban on bringing the devices into the school building. What is needed, however, is a way to store the devices safely. For many parents, cell phones offer the certainty that their children are doing well on the way to school or that they have arrived at school safely. According to the ministry, a ban would not be possible anyway because, unlike weapons, for example, cell phones are not objects that disrupt school life per se.

Many teachers in favor of a general ban
According to a non-representative survey conducted by Bundesverlag Schulbuch (öbv) and the University of Linz (over 900 respondents), cell phone use is already restricted almost everywhere. 53 percent reported a ban in class, a further 40 percent reported rules. Three quarters would be in favor of a general ban on cell phone use in schools.

Federal school spokeswoman Mira Langhammer from the ÖVP-affiliated pupils' union recently pleaded for clear, locally agreed cell phone rules at every school. She can imagine a ban at elementary school. At secondary level 1 (mainly middle school, lower secondary school), it would be conceivable for cell phones to remain switched off in the school bag during the day unless they are used by teaching staff during lessons. At the same time, however, cell phones should not be a taboo subject in schools, she emphasized.