Elementary school Solothurn schools to decide for themselves on cell phone bans

The Solothurn cantonal government rejects a general ban on cell phones at schools in the canton. As before, local schools should be able to determine the use and prohibition of private smartphones. An SVP cantonal councillor had called for the ban on cell phones to be regulated by law.

The cantonal school management model regulates the tasks, competencies and responsibilities of the cantonal and communal supervisory authorities and school management, wrote the cantonal government in its statement published on Tuesday.

The authority to determine the use and prohibition of private smartphones in schools lies with the school authorities. The school authorities could prohibit the private use of smartphones during lessons and breaks. The schools are also responsible for monitoring a ban.

According to the cantonal government, there are schools that involve pupils in drawing up the rules and are therefore better able to ensure that pupils comply with the rules later on. It is true that private smartphones can disrupt lessons.

Better to play and chill out

Many schools use these competencies and issue regulations on the use of private smartphones or smartwatches. In most schools, pupils have to hand in their personal devices at the start of lessons.

There are also schools where the devices are not allowed to be visible or audible. At other schools, the use of cell phones during breaks is not permitted. "The pupils then use the break time more for games, conversations or chilling out," wrote the cantonal government.

SVP cantonal councillor Beat Künzli demanded in an order that the wearing of "cell phones, smartwatches and the like" by pupils at primary school level be prohibited throughout the canton while at school. The cantonal government should draw up a legal regulation to this effect.