France to ban cell phones in high schools from September

PARIS — France will ban cell phones in high schools starting Sept. 1, French Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced on Wednesday.Geffray told broadcaster Franceinfo that the law banning mobile phones will be published over the summer, paving the way for its implementation at the start of the new school year.“It will be September 1 because the law will very likely be published over the summer. I will also soon send a number of guidelines to school principals so they can implement this. I consider this to be something absolutely crucial for our students,” he said.France is also considering a ban on social media for minors under the age of 15, although the measure is still awaiting approval.“We are waiting for a decision from the European Commission on the other part, which is a ban on social media for minors under fifteen,” Geffray said.A growing number of European countries, including France, have either taken initial steps or expressed support for restricting social media access for children below a certain age.