Offline Schools! A Return to the Past or a Step Forward?

It seems that, in 2025, we need to remember the obvious: school is not a shopping mall, nor a TikTok parade. It is a learning space. And learning requires focus, silence, and the ability to deal with boredom. It is in this boredom that ideas are formed, thought is structured, and, above all, growth takes place. The smartphone is, by definition, an enemy of boredom. And so, it seems quite obvious to me that it has little or no place in school.

But be careful: I'm not against cell phones. I'm even in favor of real ones. Remember? Those sturdy ones, with buttons, that only make calls and force us to practice patience by sending SMS letter by letter, key by key, without autocorrect or emojis , and at the very least, allow us to play a few minutes of Snake. The legendary Nokia 3310, for example, has never recorded a video for YouTube, doesn't allow infinite scrolling on Instagram, and doesn't even know what a notification is. It's a phone, and it serves precisely that purpose. Period.

What if we returned to this simple idea? Calling for emergencies, not to escape reality. Communicating with parents, yes. Creating WhatsApp groups where you share videos of classmates crying during recess, no. Because the problem isn't the technology itself, but the level of distraction and anxiety that smartphones have brought into this generation's backpacks.

They say banning is authoritarian. I disagree. Banning smartphones in schools isn't censorship: it's mental hygiene. It's protection. It's creating a space where students can be present. Present completely, with their eyes, their bodies, and their brains. This organ is still developing and needs to be stimulated by history, not Instagram stories.

Some advocate for the pedagogical integration of smartphones in the classroom. Of course, in an ideal world where all students are mature, teachers are tech-savvy, and educational apps aren't interrupted by TikTok notifications and inappropriate ads. In the real world, this is called a digital utopia. And while emotional maturity can't be downloaded from the App Store, perhaps it's worth assuming we should take a step back.

It's not about returning to the past. It's about recognizing that, as it is, it doesn't work. Smartphones add absolutely nothing, they only take away. They take away time, concentration, mental space, and even freedom. On the other hand, touch-sensitive phones allow for autonomy without distraction, contact without distraction. They are a simple, effective, and profoundly liberating solution. A return to the essence without GPS.

So, yes: offline schools. Turn off your smartphones and create genuine connections. School doesn't need more technology. It needs more time, more presence, more silence. And maybe, who knows, more 3310s.