Unexpected effect of mobile-free school: Snowball wars

At Guldkroksskolan junior high school, the students have become increasingly rebellious in recent weeks. Some mess up more than others, but a number of students have brought snow into the school and thrown it at other students and at teachers.

Rector Johan Östlund says it is about the mobile phone ban.

– Our work environment has become significantly worse and focus and concentration in teaching has decreased. Since the snow has come, they have been working on it. Then there was a lot against mobile use, that they don’t want to hand them in.

On Monday morning, the students were sent home because of the mess, something like P4 Skaraborg was the first to report on.

– It is on a completely different level. At the school, many people are afraid, there is gravel and stones in the snowballs, says the principal.

Protest – but the school stands firm

According to principal Johan Östlund, the students say they will end the snowball wars if they get their mobile phones back.

– I have heard that this has come about because of the mobile phone ban and that you hope to get your mobile phone back that way so you stay calm.

Since the beginning of 2023, Guldkroksskolan is a completely mobile-free school where students hand in their phones in the morning and then they are locked up all day.

Will they get their cell phones again?

– No, they won’t get that. I can appreciate their ingenuity, absolutely, but it has a boring effect when it’s this way, says Östlund.

“There have been zero violations on social media”

The school instead wants to review activities for the students.

– We need to ensure that there are leisure staff and activities to do.

– The positive thing we have seen since we collected the mobile phones is that there have been zero violations on social media. And the concentration in the lessons has become so much better.

The most unruly students can expect the school to talk to guardians. Otherwise, discussions must be held in the classrooms – but the mobile phone ban remains in place.

t4-general