Students joining the challenge argue that practice of collecting phones at school is a violation of student rights. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — An increasing number of students are joining a social movement against the practice of collecting mobile phones at school.
On social media platforms, students are posting handwritten protests against school practices of collecting mobile phones before class.
They use hashtags such as #don’ttouchphonechallenge or #studentrights to encourage other students to join the movement.
Students joining the challenge argue that practice of collecting phones at school is a violation of student rights.
“Collecting mobile phones at school represses the free will of each and every individual,” said a student from Gyeonggi Province. “The school is encouraging passivity from the students by trying to control them.”
An earlier decision by the National Human Rights Council that the school’s move to ban use of all mobile phones was a violation of student rights has become a moral basis for the movement.
Some parents and school staff, however, point out that the council’s decision is too unrealistic to be implemented in schools, with many fearful that students will play games or watch videos with their mobile phones during class.
Some are concerned that mobile phones might be used for illegal photos and other sexual crimes.
The National Police Agency reported that the number of juveniles apprehended for illegal photos and other sexual crimes increased by 80.5 percent last year, from 1,695 people in 2017 to 3,060.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
