School Parents Advocating for Prohibition of Mobile Devices in Educational Institutions, as Per Survey Results
In a recent study conducted by Postbank, it has been found that the demand for a mobile phone ban in German schools is not a generational issue, but rather a question of parenting styles shaped by generational experiences with digital technology.
The study reveals that both younger parents (digital natives, aged 18-39) and older parents (digital immigrants, 40+) largely support banning cell phone use during school hours. About 50% of each group forbids phone use at school, and 81% overall agree that such bans make sense. However, younger parents tend to impose stricter controls on their children's overall smartphone and social media use outside of school, such as limiting usage before bedtime and daily allowed times more than older parents do. Older parents, in contrast, emphasize rules like no phone use during meals and are more likely to promote personal responsibility instead of fixed rules.
Specifically regarding the school context, the main difference is less about the ban itself—both generations largely agree on banning phones during class—but younger parents take a stricter stance on digital use overall, reflecting their identity as “digital natives,” while older parents are somewhat more lenient outside school.
The German Teachers' Association did not provide a stance on the demand for a mobile phone ban in schools being a generational issue, unlike the findings in the Postbank study. However, they acknowledge the high potential for distraction that smartphones possess, with Stefan Dull, president of the German Teachers' Association, stating that many adults struggle with this issue.
Dull advocates for purposeful use of digital media in schools to help children and young people develop the necessary skills to use digital media and social networks appropriately and responsibly. He called for clear rules in schools regarding mobile phone use.
The survey, titled "Digital Study 2025", was conducted online between May and June this year, with 3,050 residents participating. It found that 80% of parents express support for a ban on mobile phones in schools, with a further 32% supporting a ban but thinking there should be exceptions for certain situations.
Interestingly, many Germans spend a lot of time on their smartphones and the internet, according to a recent representative study, "Leisure Monitor 2025". However, the German Teachers' Association opposes an outright ban on mobile phones in schools and does not express support for exceptions to a mobile phone ban in certain situations.
In June, the state parliament of Saarland banned the use of private smartphones and smartwatches in the first four grades of primary and special schools. Schools in North Rhine-Westphalia are to establish age-appropriate rules for mobile phone use by autumn, and schools in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are to regulate this themselves.
Thomas Brosch, head of digital sales at Postbank, stated that many parents see the academic success of their children at risk due to a lack of concentration skills and wish for clear official rules and protected spaces. The German Teachers' Association did not comment on the academic success of children being at risk due to a lack of concentration skills.
In summary, while there may be a generational divide in overall digital use regulation styles outside school, on the core issue of mobile phone bans in schools, German parents across generations show similar support. The German Teachers' Association, however, does not support an outright ban on mobile phones in schools but calls for clear rules regarding their use.
The "Digital Study 2025" survey indicates that both younger and older parents, regardless of their generational labels, largely agree on the implementation of a mobile phone ban during school hours. Strict technology regulations, such as limiting usage before bedtime and daily allowed times, are more common among younger parents in the context of education-and-self-development and general news.
Despite the increasing need for technology in education, as advocated by Dull and the German Teachers' Association, there is a recognition among both generations of parents about the potential for distraction that technology can pose, particularly during school hours.
