Szymon Hołownia, Speaker of the Polish Sejm and presidential candidate from the “Third Way” bloc, has voiced support for banning smartphones in schools.
During a meeting in Wielbark, a town in northern Poland, Hołownia addressed concerns over the rise of cyberbullying among children and teenagers. Speaking at a press conference, he emphasized the negative impact of smartphones in educational settings.
“Smartphones play a negative role in schools, so they should be banned. If a child is not distracted by a smartphone for 7-8 hours at school, at least they will be engaged in something else when they return home and pick it up,” Hołownia stated.
He also noted that his personal perspective on school-related issues is evolving, as his daughter has recently started first grade.
Similar policies have been introduced or discussed across Europe. In Latvia, students in grades 1-6 are prohibited from using mobile phones at school. France plans to launch a pilot program in January 2025, requiring students in primary and lower secondary schools at select institutions to store their smartphones in lockers. Meanwhile, Finland’s Committee on Constitutional Rights has approved a proposal to ban smartphones during lessons.
