Switzerland: Radiation free school? – Why the call for cell phone bans is getting louder

Radiation free school? – Why the call for cell phone bans is getting louder
Sources: Central Plus and Blick.ch, posted by Verein Schutz vor Strahlung, 23 May 2025 - DeepL translation

The debate about cell phones in schools is currently more topical than ever - and shines a bright light on a blind spot in the education and health system: the lack of awareness of the potential health effects of constant digital exposure and social overstimulation. While politicians, psychologists and educators discuss psychological stress and media education strategies, one thing remains largely unaddressed - the issue of electrosmog.

In Zug, parliamentarians of all parties called for legal clarity for mobile phone-free school zones. The reason: the mental health of young people is deteriorating rapidly. Cyberbullying, constant pressure to present themselves and constant digital distraction not only endanger learning success, but also mental stability. But the government waves the issue away: existing rules are sufficient, schools should decide for themselves in individual cases. However, school psychologist Stephan Kälin warns against mere coercion - and relies on dialog, role models and intrinsic motivation (intrinsic motivation means that the drive to carry out an activity comes from within).

Since February, cell phones have been taboo on all school grounds - and lo and behold, pupils are more focused, breaks are livelier and conflicts are less frequent. Even the youngsters admit: The ban is good for them. The digital detox seems like a silent liberation - at least in everyday school life. But even here: not a word about the omnipresent radiation exposure from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or 5G. A classroom with 20 active smartphones is like a small transmitter mast.

Media educator Judith Mathez is skeptical about blanket laws. Instead, she calls for more education in the classroom. Guidance instead of prohibition - that is her credo. But what if children are not yet ready for the digital world? When not only content but also electromagnetic fields affect the sensitive nervous system? Many parents and teachers underestimate this factor - or suppress it.

At a time when even six-year-olds are using smartphones while children's bodies are still developing, protection from excessive exposure to radiation should no longer be a marginal issue. Banning cell phones in schools would not only be an act of education - but also a sign of precaution.

Conclusion: The psychological and social side effects of smartphone use are finally coming into focus - but the biological impact of long-term exposure to radiation is still being ignored. A real rethink needs more than just media education: it needs the courage to abstain from digital use - and a real safe space for children and young people.

Sources: Central Plus and Blick.ch