‘To many, it's a great aid in the classroom’: WRDSB on Toronto school’s cellphone ban

Despite the stance being taken in Toronto’s Earl Grey Public School, the Waterloo Region District School Board says it is not considering a cellphone ban.

"We leave it up to classroom teachers. To many, it's a great aid in the classroom. To some it's a distraction. We want everybody to learn good digital citizenship in the classroom,” said Nick Manning, with the WRDSB.

The new policy at the Toronto school said no cellphones during school hours starting Tuesday. The principal said all phones must be left in lockers.

“The use of technology is not being stunted here but it's the distraction that it's becoming in class,” said Ryan Bird, a spokesperson for the Toronto District School Board.

At lunch, the Grade 7 and 8 students will be allowed to use their devices with certain restrictions, including no social media, no texting and no taking or viewing photos and videos.

The school introduced the rule to help students focus in class rather than be tempted to check their devices. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) said the ban comes after requests from some parents and careful consultation with teachers.

With reporting from CTV Kitchener's Nicole Lampa and CTV Toronto

• 

  A Toronto school introduced Tuesday a ban on cellphone use during and between classes. The new rules have students and parents divided on how much screen time should be permitted at school.