Mexico debates regulating cellphones in schools, not banning them

Mexico is moving toward a national policy on cellphone use in schools, with the federal government consulting teachers before any regulation takes effect. The SEP is surveying over one million teachers on August 24–25, 2026, as part of an intensive Technical School Council session, with results to be sent to the National Council of Educational Authorities (Conaedu) to define measures for the 2026–2027 school year Source: Infobae. President Claudia Sheinbaum has stressed that the goal is not a ban but an open debate Source: Infobae.

Expert consensus

Experts from the Ibero-American University and a regional forum in Nuevo León agree that the approach should be regulatory, not prohibitive. Lawyer Ricardo Ortega Soriano warned that prohibitions are not a "panacea" and risk "reductionism" of structural problems involving tech companies like Meta Source: Infobae. Psychologist Sandra Irma Montes de Oca noted that clear rules are needed, with explicit exceptions for students with autism who rely on devices for communication, and for emergency contact with families Source: Infobae.

State and international context

According to UNESCO, over 114 countries have regulated devices in classrooms Source: Heraldo de México. In Mexico, 17 states already have some regulation, and five more have pending initiatives; none ban carrying phones, only restricting use during class hours Source: Infobae. Nuevo León's new education law allows phones and tablets for educational purposes, as Governor Samuel García highlighted Source: Milenio.

Disagreements

While most sources favor regulation, Ravi Iyer of USC advocates a total ban in classrooms Source: Milenio. Additionally, the CDMX Pacto Digital promotes decalogues that some argue preempt the federal consultation results Source: Heraldo de México. The federal government expects all states to adopt norms by end of 2026 Source: Infobae.