Hugh Grant Calls Out 'Pathetic' Rules at His Kids' Fancy Schools, Slams Tech Overload

Hugh Grant is officially over the "posh private school" scene—and he's not afraid to say it. The 64-year-old actor recently let loose at an event in London, criticizing his children’s elite schools for their "pathetic" rules and obsession with screens.

At Knightsbridge School, Grant joined psychologist Jonathan Haidt and royal relative Sophie Winkleman to rally for a ban on laptops and tablets in classrooms. His beef? Schools are creating tech-addicted kids and keeping them cooped up indoors, apparently to protect them from the dangers of—gasp—rain and wind.

"They’re the ones saying they’re not going to play outside today because it’s raining, or they can’t go on the climbing frame because it’s windy," Grant grumbled, suggesting someone needs to start a “hero school” that actually lets kids be kids.

Grant, who shares five children with Anna Eberstein and former partner Tinglan Hong, described the daily grind of dragging his kids off their screens as "eternal, exhausting and depressive." Sounds like a real-life sequel to ‘Bridget Jones’—but with less Chardonnay and more Chromebooks.

The final straw? Grant said when his child's school started bragging about giving every student a Chromebook, he’d had enough: "That is the last f---ing thing they need and the last thing we need."

Jonathan Haidt, author of "The Anxious Generation," echoed Grant’s tech concerns, calling for phone-free schools and warning of an "epidemic of mental illness" linked to smartphones. He wants kids under 14 to steer clear of smartphones, and students under 16 to stay off social media during school hours.

Grant claimed most parents stay quiet out of fear of "rocking the boat," but he’s done waiting for schools—or politicians—to act: "I don’t think politicians ever do anything because it’s the right thing to do...They only care about their career." Instead, he’s urging fellow parents to unite and push back against EdTech overload, arguing that when enough outraged parents speak up, schools and politicians will finally start to listen—if only because they’re afraid of losing business or votes.

So, in the world of posh private schools, it looks like recess now requires a weather permit and a device check. Who knew being a kid could be so high maintenance?