Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has voiced support for regulating how students use cellphones in schools, saying the devices have taken up too much space in classrooms at the expense of traditional learning tools and personal interaction.
Speaking publicly, Sheinbaum said it is important for students to “go back to paper and pencil” rather than relying so heavily on screens during class time. She framed the issue not simply as a matter of restricting technology, but as an opportunity to strengthen human connection among students, describing it as a return to “convivencia” — a Spanish term referring to shared social life, community bonding, and face-to-face togetherness that goes beyond the English word “socializing.”
The president’s comments come amid a broader debate in Mexico and other countries over the effects of smartphones on children’s attention spans, academic performance, and social skills. Several nations have already moved to ban or limit phones in classrooms, and Sheinbaum’s remarks suggest her administration may consider similar measures or guidelines for Mexican public schools.
While she did not detail a specific policy or timeline, her statement signals growing official concern in Mexico about screen time’s impact on the youngest generations and a push to prioritize traditional teaching methods and in-person student relationships over digital distraction.
Read the full original report at La Jornada for more details.
Image: AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).