Full Breakdown
France Pushes Ahead with High-School Mobile-Phone Ban
8/25/2026, 4:10:14 AM
Government Moves Forward with the Ban
On August 24, the French government announced that the prohibition of mobile phones in high schools will take effect at the start of the new school year in September. The measure stems from legislation approved by Parliament in July that also sought to bar children under 15 from social-media platforms. While the Constitutional Council later struck down the social-media clause, it left the school-phone provision untouched, allowing the government to proceed.
Background and Context
President Emmanuel Macron has framed the policy as a response to concerns that excessive screen time hampers young people’s development. Earlier this year, France already prohibited phone use in primary schools and collèges (ages 11-15). The latest step extends the restriction to secondary-education institutions, where smartphones are commonly used for timetable updates, room assignments, and, for some teachers, classroom research.
Implementation Challenges
Trade-union leaders warn that schools have little time to adapt. Francois Resnais, national secretary of the SNPDEN-Unsa union of school principals, described the timing as “bad,” noting that many institutions have not yet incorporated the rule into internal regulations. Christelle Kauffmann, the union’s deputy secretary-general, highlighted that only a few schools have prepared, with some allowing phones outdoors but banning them inside buildings.
Regional-council vice-president Kamel Chibli estimated that providing digital pouches and lockers would cost roughly €40,000 for a high school of 1,500 pupils, underscoring the financial burden of enforcement.
Official Statements & Responses
She added that the education ministry’s guidance permits exemptions for “educational uses” or necessities tied to school operations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “You cannot put a supervisor behind every student.” — Kamel Chibli, vice-president of the Occitanie regional council in southern France
- “The president’s objective is to have a stable legal framework in place by next spring to protect our children and young people,” — Bregeon. Macron, push by president
