from our correspondent in Madrid – The Barcelona-born “Youth Without Cell Phones” movement is gaining momentum across Spain. Parents have been mobilizing against their teenagers' early and unrestricted access to smartphones for several weeks. The action had such an impact that the government took up the matter.
Published on: July 1, 2024 – 08:22
6 mins
It's the same ritual every morning at Dragon American School, a bilingual school in the suburbs of Madrid. Before entering class, Carolina puts her phone in a closed bag under the watchful eye of the principal. “I forget it, put it in my bag and can’t touch it anymore,” says the 17-year-old student with a smile. Smartphones are banned in the facility for three years. The 220 students aged 12 to 18 are prohibited from using it during lessons and breaks.
At 12:30 p.m., English teacher Darcy Cadman begins her third lesson of the day. No cell phones in the classroom. The goal is not to disrupt learning, and the results are significant. “By keeping the phone in a bag, we save the ten minutes it sometimes takes to get students’ attention,” explains Darcy Cadman. “It's really nice because when we get to class, they're already sitting and waiting for the class to start.”
Nowadays, students have to give oral presentations. Each group has chosen a topic and presents their work to the rest of the class. Darcy Cadman walks between the students to guide them according to their difficulties. “I notice clearly that they are more attentive, that they pay more attention to each other. “They are also more active in class,” she notes happily.
Darcy Cadman helps her students during an English class at Dragon American School in Madrid, Spain. © Clara Le Nagard, France 24
A pioneering school in a telephone ban
During breaks, the students also learned to avoid screens. While some chat over a snack in the cafeteria, others laugh and play cards 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 is chatting with two friends on a sofa. When the question about the phone comes up again, she smiles. “Admittedly, I had a little difficulty getting used to it at first. I didn't have it and wondered what I would do, for example, if there was an emergency,” 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 facility's director, Helder Marques. “It was logical for me to carry out this action. We look for the best initiatives for our students to help them learn more and be more attentive to each other and their teachers. To enable better learning,” he explained.
But banning phone use is not that easy. In Spain it is common for children to receive their first smartphone when they enter middle school. In order not to give in to social pressure, the parents took measures. A spontaneous movement called “Youth Without Cell Phones” has even emerged in Barcelona to denounce the dangers of screens for young people.
Parents gather for a debate about the dangers of screens for teenagers on December 14, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. © Clara Le Nagard, France 24
This Thursday, December 14th, a debate will bring together parents, health experts and teachers for the first time in the Poblenou district of Barcelona. This is where the movement started last September. One after the other, the participants discuss their concerns about the telephone, which is being used more and more frequently. 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 Medical Association.
Put pressure on politicians
The cell phone is not just an object. Most often, parents feel helpless in the face of the increasing use of social networks and the Internet among young people, which they find worrisome. The Telegram group of the “Youth Without Cell Phones” movement now has more than 10,000 members, and local variants have emerged in almost all regions of Spain.
Tamara Fernandez is part of the initiative. The movement's spokesman, the psychologist, explains that the dangers are real: “Children are confronted with images that do not correspond to their age. Nowadays violent or pornographic content is very easily accessible and it is normal for parents to be frightened by it.”
Tamara Fernandez, spokesperson for the Youth Without Mobile Phones movement, discusses with parents during the debate held in Poblenou, Barcelona, on December 14, 2023. © Efflam Sionneau, France 24 © France24
In a short time the movement took on national proportions. From now on, thousands of parents are united behind the same request: a complete ban on telephones in high school. Tamara Fernandez sees the mobilization as very positive. “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 who will put pressure on politicians and persuade them to make a decision.”
The measure has already given the government pause. On December 13, 2023, the Minister of Education, Pilar Alegría, proposed to the Autonomous Communities to ban the telephone in primary schools and limit its use in secondary schools depending on the institution. This proposal, which involves an expert consultation process, was welcomed by regional education authorities. The minister said she intends to take the debate to the state school board, which includes representatives from teachers, families and students. The aim is to discuss with the autonomous communities and find a solution for early 2024.