Eton, the prestigious British boarding school known for counting many of the country’s prime ministers among its alumni, has taken radical action to combat digital distractions: prohibiting new students from using iPhones during the school yearInstead, they will be able to use a Nokia with limited features.

Unlike other countries or organizations where iPhone use is banned, this decision has nothing to do with security. Rather, responds to students’ need to avoid distractionswhile staying at boarding school.

Also unlike other places iPhones will be restricted during students’ time at boarding school, not during class hours.

Prestigious boarding school bans smartphone use

Although the measure applies to smartphones in general, considering that iPhones are the mobile models most used by young people, it is likely that students should leave them at home.

Starting next September, first-year students will have to leave their iPhones or Android smartphones at home and in their places Use a basic Nokia mobile phone with limited functionality for calls and text messages and perhaps the classic game “Snake.” Seniors will be subject to these and other rules that were previously in place, such as not having cell phones with them at night.

According to a CBS News post:

Parents of Eton first-year students were informed of the changes in a letter stating that new boarders aged 13 must take their smart devices home with them after their SIM cards are transferred to offline Nokia mobile phones provided by the school.

Concerns about digital distractions in schools are not new. More and more educational centers are implementing measures to limit smartphone use during working hoursis aware of the negative effects these devices can have on students’ academic performance and mental health.

This measure is to some extent justified in the case of Eton, because of the boarding school’s strict academic and boarding regime. In the past, The school already required students to turn in their cell phones at the end of each school day. And it is certainly a place where access to devices is easier to control.

The truth is that The debate over the use of smartphones in schools is an ongoing issue that will continue to be relevant for a long time to come.

What do you think about limiting smartphone use in schools?

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