What schools can do about screen addiction : role and tools of educational teams

“ It’s not my role — it’s the parents’ role. ” This phrase is often spoken by teachers when faced with the issue of screens. It is understandable — and partially true. Parents have the primary responsibility. But the school sees adolescents 35 hours a week, in a collective context, with a privileged observation posture. It can do things that parents cannot do. And it has tools that families do not have.

1. The school is not solely responsible — but it has a role

First, clarify what the school cannot do : it cannot solve screen addiction alone, it cannot replace therapeutic work when necessary, and it cannot impose rules on families regarding domestic usage. Its role lies elsewhere — in observation, prevention, education for critical thinking, and guidance towards the right contacts.

This role is far from negligible. An educational team that observes the same signals in a student, discusses it in class council or with the CPE, and contacts parents with precise information rather than vague complaints — this is often the trigger for a family awareness that would not have occurred otherwise.

2. Observe and cross-check observations as a team

The strength of the educational team in facing a student's difficulties — including those related to screens — is the multiplicity of observation points. A student may seem alert in PE and drowsy in French. They may be attentive in practical classes and absent in lectures. They may exhibit different behaviors depending on the teachers.

Cross-checking these observations in class council, team meetings, or in a quick conversation between two colleagues allows for a more precise picture of the student's situation. “ I’ve seen him drowsy every morning for a month — how about you? ” “ He hasn’t submitted anything since November — what’s going on with him? ” These exchanges are simple and valuable.

3. Key players in the establishment

4. Phone ban: what studies show

The 2018 law prohibits mobile phones in middle schools in France (except for educational purposes). Its application varies by establishment. Beyond middle school, the question of a ban in high schools is debated.

What studies on school bans show — notably a British longitudinal study — is encouraging on specific indicators : improvement in playground climate (more face-to-face social interactions), increased academic performance of the weakest students, and reduction of cyberbullying during school hours. The effects are less clear among already high-performing students.

5. Media and information education (EMI)

EMI has been part of the school curriculum for several years — but it is still too often reduced to notions of source verification and personal data protection. In the face of screen addiction, a revamped EMI should include understanding the algorithmic mechanisms of attention capture, the neurobiology of reward and dopamine, the economic models of platforms (your attention is the product), and the documented effects of intensive usage on sleep and mental health.

These topics are not reserved for a particular discipline. They span philosophy, life sciences, economics, French, and visual arts. They can be approached in many contexts — and adolescents are often much more receptive than one might think when talking about how they are manipulated.

6. Concrete activities in class to develop critical thinking

7. Teaching attention in a fragmented world

A concrete pedagogical challenge that teachers are increasingly identifying : students are becoming less and less capable of sustaining their attention during a long sequence. Pedagogical solutions exist — not to adapt to this fragmentation, but to gently accompany them towards greater attentional capacity.

8. The link with families: ally rather than judge

Contacting a family about their child's screens is a delicate process — parents may feel accused, inadequate, or conversely relieved that someone else has observed what they are experiencing. The way the teacher or CPE formulates their message is crucial.

9. When to report — and to whom

Some situations exceed the scope of educational intervention and require referral to health professionals. The signals that justify going further : severe depressive or anxious state accompanying intensive usage, self-harming behaviors, complete school dropout without response to interventions, documented severe sleep disorders, or intense aggressive behaviors related to screens.

Referral can be made to the adolescent's treating physician (with parental consent), to “ Young Consumers ” consultations (CJC) available for free in care centers, or to child psychiatry services in more complex situations. The school psychologist can help qualify the situation and refer to the right contact.

10. Why educational teams need training

Most teachers have not been trained in the neurobiology of digital addiction, the mechanics of platforms, or pedagogical approaches suited to brains formatted by screens. This training is essential — not to turn teachers into therapists, but to give them the necessary benchmarks for observation, conversation with students, and guidance for families.

A team trained together — teachers, CPE, nurses, school psychologists — can build a coherent approach at the establishment level. An approach that combines clear rules, education on usage, shared observation, and connection with families. It is this institutional coherence that makes the difference.