12 Students Expelled For Using Phones During Lecture On Campus.

Many parents in northern China aren’t taking it lightly after students numbering 12 were expelled from the university for violating rules banning use of phones during classes, a newspaper reported.

Recently, a total number of twelve teenagers received expulsion notices from the management of Cangzhou 1st Middle School in Hebei province.

“We understand our kids shouldn’t have used their phones when attending school, but we can’t just accept that they got expelled simply for doing that,” a parent was quoted as saying.

Management said the pupils had violated rules that prohibited them from carrying mobile phones at the school.

“Our teacher just briefly mentioned that we would get kicked out if we used mobile phones in a class in late February,” the newspaper quoted one expelled pupil as saying.

“On March 9, I called my family during a break as I found I didn’t have any money on me, but I was soon caught by school staff,” he said.

The expulsions have generated debate online with many arguing the punishment was excessive and may have broken the law.

But the school told the newspaper it would not change its mind, insisting officials “took the action to safeguard the rights of the majority of pupils”.

“Many parents at school have repeatedly urged us to ban mobile phones, MP3s, and iPads on the campus for the sake of their children’s mental and physical well-being,” the school management told the newspaper.