Principal's attempts and disputes
A school principal in Salzburg has sparked a widespread controversy and legal proceedings for installing jammers during high school graduation exams. The principal hoped to prevent students from using mobile phones to cheat during the exams through signal jammers. However, despite his original intention to maintain the fairness of the exams, the practice was eventually discovered by telecommunications authorities and the jammers were confiscated. The principal was warned for this, but he is still confused and dissatisfied with the existing legal provisions.
Mobile phone management at Reed Middle School
At Reed Middle School, there is also a strict set of rules for mobile phone management during Matura exams. Franz Litzlbauer, principal of HAK Business School, pointed out that students need to hand in their mobile phones during the exams, but the toilet area is still an uncontrollable blind spot. He said that collecting mobile phones does not completely solve the problem because it is impossible to determine how many mobile phones students have brought. Despite this, the principal is convinced that cheating with mobile phones in class and during exams is unlikely.
BORG and HTL's response
At BORG Ried, students must also hand in their mobile phones before taking exams. Principal Norbert Mayr believes that cheating with mobile phones is limited and may only be useful in Latin translation. The state school board has clearly stipulated that jammers or detectors for detecting mobile phones are prohibited. At HTL Ried, mobile phone management is relatively simple. Students put their mobile phones in boxes during exams and take them back after the exam. Principal Ernest Miesbauer said that no personnel would be hired to monitor students in the toilet because this practice is too ridiculous.
Strict regulations on social media
HTL Ried has strict regulations on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. If students post negative comments on social media, they will face disciplinary action. Principal Miesbauer emphasized that these regulations have worked well so far and help maintain the order and reputation of the school.
The view of the state school board
Fritz Enzenhofer, chairman of the Upper Austrian State School Board, believes that the current discussion is very meaningful. He noted that while school rules prohibit the use of certain technologies during exams, the reality is that technology has outstripped existing management methods. He suggested that the legislature consider whether technology should be allowed to prohibit cell phone use during exams to fill loopholes in existing laws.
Conclusion
This incident and discussion highlights the complexity and challenges of managing cell phone use in modern educational settings. Although jammers may be effective in preventing cheating, legal and technological limitations make this approach difficult to implement. Schools and legislatures need to work together to find a balance between maintaining the fairness of exams and complying with legal regulations.
