Mexico’s School Phone Ban Faces Parents’ Safety Concerns

A federal decree backed by President Claudia Sheinbaum bars cellphone and other electronic-device use throughout the school day in Mexico’s elementary and middle schools. Students may use devices for teacher-directed learning, emergencies, disabilities or health needs, and can carry phones while travelling to school. A separate regulation requiring digital platforms to remove certain harmful or illegal posts is due to take effect this month.

Some parents, particularly in areas affected by violence, say phones are a way to check that their children are safe. In Sinaloa, parent representative Francisco Ortiz criticized the government for moving ahead without addressing families’ concerns. A father in Tamaulipas said the restriction could make it harder for students to respond to a dangerous situation.

Their worries have been sharpened by a shooting in Escuinapa, Sinaloa, on October 22. A gunman on a motorcycle fired at a bus carrying more than a dozen students; the driver was hurt by broken glass. A passenger’s video showed students crouching or taking cover. One local mother said she called her daughter, who was travelling to school, after learning of the attack, and questioned whether families would follow the ban.

The government has emphasized the potential harms of cellphone use. Education Secretary Mario Delgado said the administration wants to prevent digital-platform addiction and related disorders among minors. Researchers supporting restrictions point to concerns including attention difficulties, stress and anxiety, while recognizing technology’s benefits.

The restriction follows school-phone bans in 114 countries, according to UNESCO data. Israel Sánchez, head of the National Union of Parents, supports the measure but says parents need awareness efforts and teachers need training for it to work.

Mexico’s Phone Ban Can Protect Students From Digital Harm

Mexico is taking action to curb the harms of constant device use in schools. A decree backed by President Claudia Sheinbaum bars phones and other electronic devices during the school day in elementary and middle schools, allowing exceptions for learning under teacher direction, emergencies, disability and health needs.

Education Secretary Mario Delgado says the administration aims to prevent addiction to digital platforms and disorders among minors. Researchers have also identified concerns about attention, stress and anxiety, while noting that technology can help young people socialize and find information. The restriction puts Mexico among 114 countries with school cellphone bans, according to UNESCO data.

Parents in violent regions, however, fear that losing access to phones will leave children harder to reach. In Escuinapa, Sinaloa, a bus carrying more than a dozen students was shot at on October 22. The driver was injured by shattered glass, and footage showed students taking cover. One mother said calling her daughter after hearing about the attack reassured her.

Those fears deserve attention, but they do not erase the risks the policy is designed to address. The decree permits phones for emergencies, and Israel Sánchez, a parents’ group leader who backs the measure, says implementation should include public awareness and teacher training. The challenge is to put those safeguards into practice without abandoning efforts to limit students’ exposure to devices built to capture their attention.

Mexico’s School Phone Ban Leaves Parents Fearing for Their Children

Mexico’s government is restricting parents’ ability to stay in touch with their children at school, even as families in dangerous areas worry about their safety. The decree backed by President Claudia Sheinbaum prohibits phones and other electronic devices through the school day in elementary and middle schools, with limited exceptions for lessons, emergencies, disability and health needs.

The concern is not abstract for families in Sinaloa. On October 22, a gunman on a motorcycle fired at a bus carrying more than a dozen students in Escuinapa. The driver was injured by flying glass, while students hid or crouched inside. One mother said hearing her daughter’s voice after the attack calmed her; she doubts parents will accept a rule that removes that reassurance.

Sinaloa parent representative Francisco Ortiz says the government has disregarded families’ objections and their authority over their children. A father in Tamaulipas likewise worries that students without phones may be less able to deal with a dangerous situation. Those are practical concerns that cannot be answered simply by pointing to the harms of screen use.

Officials have stressed the risks of digital platforms, and education chief Mario Delgado says the government wants to prevent addiction and related disorders among minors. But a broad school-day restriction puts the burden on families who fear violence, while requiring parents and teachers to adapt. Even a parents’ group leader who supports the measure says awareness campaigns and teacher training will be needed for it to work.