School Smashes Over 100 Phones in Front of Students... Chinese Education Authorities Call It "Inappropriate"

Confiscated Phones Smashed with Hammers at Chinese Private School Playground
"To Raise Awareness," School Claims... Criticized as "Outdated Approach"
Controversy Over Property Rights Infringement... Authorities Call It "Inappropriate Action"

A school in China is facing controversy after smashing about 100 confiscated mobile phones with hammers in front of its students.

A video showing students' mobile phones being confiscated and destroyed at a school in China has sparked controversy. Baidu

According to Yonhap News, citing local media such as Zhonghuawang on June 28, a video has recently spread on social networking services (SNS) showing teachers at a school in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, smashing mobile phones one after another with hammers on the playground. The school in question is Jinghuayuan School in Beihu District, Chenzhou, which, according to its official website, is a 12-year private boarding institution covering elementary, middle, and high school grades.

In the video, dozens of mobile phones are lined up on the ground in front of the stage on the playground, and two men, holding hammers, are seen smashing the phones one by one, leaving white marks on the screens while students watch. On the stage, a school official is reportedly shouting at students to follow school regulations. The school, which has about 5,000 enrolled students, destroyed approximately 100 phones at once during the incident.

The video is said to have been filmed about two months ago, and a school official explained that the event took place at the end of the last semester, earlier this year. The school stated, "The destroyed phones were those that had been confiscated from students and left unclaimed for several years," adding that "the action was intended as a warning to discourage students from bringing mobile phones to school."

After the video began to spread, Chinese netizens criticized the act, arguing that destroying personal property is illegal and that the school is still managing students in an outdated manner. Some netizens pointed out, "Didn't the school even register the confiscated phones when they were seized?" and "How can the principal be so violent?"

According to Zhonghuawang, the controversy surrounding 'warning education' through destroying student mobile phones has persisted recently in China. The outlet reported that supporters claim it is a measure for students' benefit, while opponents argue it only humiliates students and fosters resentment.

Concerns over legal responsibility have also been raised. Fu Jian, director of the Zhejin Law Firm in Henan Province, pointed out that, under regulations for the protection of minors at school, schools are not allowed to educate or manage students by damaging their property. The confiscation of mobile phones is a temporary management measure and does not transfer ownership to the school, so the school has no right to dispose of the phones. If the rightful owner claims damages, the school would be liable.

Education authorities in Chenzhou have also stated that even if the phones are unclaimed, they are still personal property and must not be destroyed arbitrarily. An official from the Beihu District Education Bureau said, "The school's handling of the matter was inappropriate, and we will investigate and address the issue."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.