Ont. government bans cellphones in the classroom
The Ontario government has announced new rules aimed at cracking down on cellphones and social media use in schools, but not everyone is happy with the plan.
The new measures will go into effect for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Kids in kindergarten to Grade 6 will be required to keep phones on silent and out of sight for the entire school day.
Students in grades seven and up will see cellphone use banned during class time.
Educators can make exceptions, but if students use their phone without permission, the device may be confiscated.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the changes are aimed at reducing distractions in the classroom.
“When it comes to cellphones, our policy is ‘out of sight and out of mind,’ as we get students back to the basics by restoring focus, safety and common sense back in Ontario schools,” Lecce said in a news release.
Reaction in Waterloo Region
The announcement got mixed reviews from students in Waterloo Region.
“I don’t think it’s really necessary to be honest,” said Tyler Quach, a Grade 10 student at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School in Cambridge.
“If they take it away for the whole day it kind of sucks,” Grade 12 student Lucas Parent said.
Another Grade 10 student, Christophe Kouyoumdjin, could see the positives.
“Kids are going to be more focused doing their work, they’re going to pay more attention,” Kouyoumdjin said.
As part of the policy, social media websites will be removed from all school networks and devices, the government explained.
Teachers will also be asked to include comments on students’ distraction levels in class within report cards.
In an email, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board said it was still determining how to apply the new policies.
“Implementing such changes across our schools will require careful planning and consideration to ensure compliance with the ministry’s direction,” the board said.
The Waterloo Region District School Board did not reply to request for comment.
What do teachers think?
The plan has drawn criticism from teachers’ unions, who say policing the ban will put even more pressure on educators who are already stretched thin.
“None of this is going to address the needs in Ontario schools right now,” said Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation. “This is just an announcement of more policing, instead of an announcement of greater supports.”
Both the elementary and secondary school teachers’ unions say there were not approached by the province for any input on the ban. They say the move fails to address deeper issues students face in schools.
“We’ve got [teacher] recruitment and retention issues,” said David Mastin, vice-president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario. “Members don’t want to come into this profession, it’s just not worth it for them in a variety of areas. I think this will just add to that problem.”
The unions say it’s still unclear how the ban will be enforced.
-- With reporting from CTV's Tyler Kelaher and files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler arrested at PGA Championship for traffic violation
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was arrested Friday morning on his way to the PGA Championship, with stunning images showing him handcuffed as he was taken to jail for not following police orders during a pedestrian fatality investigation.
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
Four 1970s homicides linked to serial killer, Alberta Mounties to reveal Friday
A dead serial sexual offender and killer has been linked to four homicides in the 1970s in Alberta, RCMP say.
Ontario sees first measles death in more than a decade after young child dies
A young child has died of measles in Ontario, marking the first death in the province from the highly contagious virus in more than 10 years, a Public Health Ontario report confirms.
Think twice before sharing 'heartbreaking' social media posts, RCMP warn
Mounties in B.C. are urging people to think twice before sharing "heartbreaking posts" on social media.
One way Canadians are shrinking rising grocery bills
As the cost of food in Canada has risen, grocery shoppers are looking at ways to reduce their grocery bill, and more are choosing price over beauty, turning to companies that deliver so-called 'misfit' produce at a fraction of the cost.
'Another pair of eyes watching over me:' How a B.C. woman's guide dog saved her from drowning
A B.C. woman says her guide dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
Vatican revamps norms to evaluate visions of Mary as it adapts to internet age and combats hoaxers
The Vatican on Friday radically reformed its process for evaluating alleged visions of the Virgin Mary, weeping statues and other seemingly supernatural phenomena, insisting on having the final say in whether the events are worthy of popular devotion.
Wildfires are dampening against cool, rainy weather, but there's plenty left to contain
An opportune system of cool, wet weather Friday is dampening the spread of wildfires across Western Canada, but there's still plenty of work for responders and residents alike.