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NewsWPLG Local 10November 2, 2026Miami-Dade County

Mexico prohibits mobile phones in primary and secondary schools despite pushback from parents in violent regions

Photo: WPLG Local 10

The Mexican government under Claudia Sheinbaum has issued a decree banning mobile phones and electronic devices in primary and secondary schools during school hours, prompting resistance from parents concerned about losing communication during security threats. The regulation allows exceptions for pedagogical use guided by teachers, personal emergencies, disabilities, or health needs, while digital platforms will also face new rules requiring the removal of hate speech and illicit content. State authorities and schools across 18 states have a six-month window from November to adapt to the federal decree.

EducationTechnologyPublic SafetyParental RightsChild Welfare
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Why It Matters

Students in Mexican primary and secondary schools face a ban on personal electronics during the school day, while parents in high-crime areas lose direct phone access to their children while commuting or attending classes.

Key Facts

  • The Mexican federal government issued a decree prohibiting mobile phones and electronic devices in primary and secondary schools during the entire school day.
  • Exemptions to the school phone ban are permitted for pedagogical purposes under teacher guidance, personal emergencies, disabilities, and health needs.
  • The restriction does not apply to school transportation.
  • Middle-school and high-school students in 18 states with existing local regulations have a six-month compliance period starting in November to align with the federal decree.
  • The Secretariat of Public Education plans to activate a mid-month regulation forcing digital platforms to remove hate speech, abuse, sexual violence, cyberbullying, and illicit content.
  • The civil society coalition REDIM reported that in the first half of the year, one of every ten Mexicans aged 0 to 17 was a victim of crimes involving organized crime.
  • A public bus carrying secondary students in Sinaloa was recently targeted by gunfire in an attack directed at the driver.
  • Querétaro prohibited school cell phone use beginning in 2024, serving as an early adopter of the policy within Mexico.
  • According to UNESCO data, cell phone prohibitions in schools are already applied in 114 countries.

Who's Mentioned

locationEscuinapa“Municipality in southern Sinaloa”PersonLucía Magis-Weinberg“Neurodevelopment researcher at the University of Washington”OrganizationUnión Nacional de Padres de Familia“Civil organization representing parents of public and private schools”locationEcuador“Country implementing school technology controls”PersonIsrael Sánchez“President of the National Union of Parents (UNPF)”PersonFrancisco Ortiz“State representative of the National Union of Parents in Sinaloa”locationCulhuacán“City in Mexico where the article originates”locationEstados Unidos“Country with state-level school phone bans”PersonMario Delgado“Secretary of Public Education of Mexico”locationSinaloa“State in Mexico experiencing violence affecting students”locationFrancia“Country that expanded phone bans to secondary institutions”locationTamaulipas“Northern state in Mexico”OrganizationRed por los Derechos de la Infancia en México“Civil society coalition providing crime statistics involving children”OrganizationUnión Nacional de Padres en Sinaloa“Parent organization opposing aspects of the decree in Sinaloa”PersonClaudia Sheinbaum“President/head of the administration driving the initiative”OrganizationUniversidad de Washington“Institution where Lucía Magis-Weinberg conducts research”locationBolivia“Country implementing school technology controls”locationCosta Rica“Principal country implementing school technology controls”OrganizationCámara de Diputados“Legislative body where Mario Delgado spoke”PersonBenigno Gómez“Parent from Reynosa, Tamaulipas”locationQuerétaro“Central state where phone use was prohibited in schools starting in 2024”locationReynosa“Northern city in Tamaulipas”locationMéxico“Country implementing the school phone ban”locationBrasil“Country implementing school technology controls”locationChile“Country implementing school technology controls”OrganizationUNESCO“International organization providing data on global phone bans”