There are conflicts that are eternal by nature, and that of adolescents' use of cell phones promises to move into this category. This time the majority, teachers, parents and politicians, are in favor of banning the telephone in secondary school. Inside class and also outside, in the playground, because it is already known that teenagers are trigger-happy and then there are photos, which should never have been taken, that spread like wildfire.
Now our politicians have brought to light obvious evidence that the device distracts the student if they take it to class. So much so that his performance plummets.
The educational system - nor the country - cannot afford to send more kids to academic failure. For that reason alone, the measure is more than justified, although it has been a bit difficult for Minister Alegría and Councilor Simó to understand it.
The Catalan government did not want to snub the movement that, especially from the left, promotes methods of pedagogical innovation. Simó was dizzy for weeks. It was not clear on this matter until the day it was approved by the executive, despite the fact that President Aragonès had already advanced his opinion long before. As for the minister, just a month ago she denied the need to ban cell phones in secondary school because “you can't put doors in the countryside.” And there was the same minister on Tuesday trying to lead the chorus of regional councillors. The reality of the classroom prevails and politics moves, more due to pressure from families than due to a real concern for academic level or results.
Whichever way you look at it, this ban stems from a failure. Not one, but three.
The first, that of the new pedagogism that advocates making the mobile phone an educational tool. A well-intentioned idea although it borders on a miracle if you do not first educate yourself in its healthy use.
The second failure can be found in the school itself. If the teachers celebrate the veto it is because they are tired of the indiscipline within the school and of being ignored. It is not surprising that they feel relieved: there is finally a clear criterion, a general rule. Privately they say that now, when they catch a student red-handed playing with their cell phone in class, they call their attention, ask them to put it away and, at the second or third warning, they send them to the hallway. Afterwards, the teachers would have to confiscate the device, although many do not do so to avoid problems with the parents, who are called to class.
The third failure points to families. At best, they are more lost than Wally, they don't know what to do. At worst, they don't even set rules. They buy the first cell phone for their ten-year-old child, they ignore it... and then they panic, terrified at the possibility that the device will end up frying their offspring's brains.
More than regulation, educational intervention is needed. Without resignations of responsibility, neither at home, nor at school. So no: banning is not the solution, just a patch that was now inevitable as the yard is. Something similar to covering the moon with a finger. The cell phone will be turned off in class, great, but the first thing the kid will do when he leaves the school door is turn it on.
