Overview
- Mexico’s Education Ministry launched a national forum to examine regulating cellphones in schools, emphasizing mental health and learning concerns, with no federal rule adopted despite references to regulations in at least 79 countries.
- In Baja California, the state education secretary said schools can prohibit or limit devices through their own regulations after consulting families and staff, as health professionals push a separate initiative for a statewide ban.
- Argentina’s Santa Fe province enacted a Program of Education Digital that bans phones in initial and primary levels throughout the day, including recess, and permits secondary use only for planned, teacher‑supervised activities.
- Santa Fe’s rollout includes school protocols, teacher training, updated conduct agreements on storage and family communication, engagement of parents through commitment letters, and exceptions for health or accessibility needs.
- Legislative moves continue elsewhere: a Michoacán lawmaker proposed curbing phones in basic education with defined exceptions, and Argentine deputy Guillermo Michel introduced a national bill to set level‑specific restrictions across the country.