A school in China’s Hunan province has come under fire after teachers publicly smashed more than 100 confiscated mobile phones with hammers in front of hundreds of students, prompting criticism from netizens and local education authorities.
Videos circulating on Chinese social media showed teachers at Jinghuayuan School in Chenzhou destroying piles of mobile phones on the school field while students watched. According to the person who uploaded the footage, the incident took place about two months ago but only recently gained widespread attention online.
The school later explained that the devices had been confiscated over several years and were never claimed by their owners. It said the public destruction was intended as a warning to students not to bring mobile phones onto campus.
However, the explanation failed to ease public anger. Many social media users questioned whether the school had the legal authority to destroy personal property, arguing that confiscated phones remained the property of the students regardless of whether they had been collected.
Some commenters criticised the school’s actions as excessive and unlawful, with others questioning why the devices had not been properly registered when they were confiscated.
Responding to the controversy, staff from the Beihu District Education Bureau in Chenzhou said the school had acted inappropriately.
Officials stressed that even unclaimed mobile phones remain private property and should not be destroyed without proper legal procedures. The bureau added that the matter would be investigated and handled accordingly.
The incident has reignited debate in China over the balance between maintaining school discipline and respecting students’ property rights, with many calling for schools to adopt more appropriate disciplinary measures rather than resorting to public destruction of confiscated items.
