Ontario is introducing a set of measures that will crack down on cell phone use and vaping in schools.
The new rules will come into effect in the 2024-2025 academic year.
Starting in September, students in kindergarten through sixth grade will be asked to keep their phones on silent and out of sight throughout the day, unless permitted by an educator.
Students between grades 7 and 12 have a little more flexibility, and cell phones are only prohibited during class time.
If a student breaks the rules, their cell phone must be immediately turned over to a staff member and parents will be notified.
“We have heard loud and clear from parents and teachers that cell phones in classrooms distract children from learning,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a statement released Sunday.
“When it comes to cell phones, our policy is ‘out of sight and out of mind’ as we get students back to basics by restoring focus, safety and common sense to Ontario schools” .
As part of the new policy, social media sites will be banned from all school networks and devices. The government will also prohibit sharing and recording videos or photographs of people without explicit consent, although it is unclear how this will be monitored or enforced.
At a news conference, Lecce told reporters that teachers’ discretion on when and how technology will be used in the classroom will be respected.
“It’s about restoring concentration during instructional time,” Lecce said. “Other than that, during lunch, recess or spare parts, we will try to treat children with a sense of personal responsibility.”
Teachers will also be asked to include comments about students’ distraction levels in class on report cards.
The policy changes come as four Ontario school boards launch lawsuits against multiple social media platforms, alleging their products negligently interfere with student learning and have caused “widespread disruption to the education system.”
The lawsuits allege that Snapchat, TikTok and Meta have “knowingly and/or negligently disrupted and fundamentally changed the school.” [and] learning.”
Premier Doug Ford called the lawsuit “nonsense.”
The Progressive Conservatives attempted to implement a ban on cell phones in 2019, asking school boards to develop a policy restricting their use for educational, health and medical purposes during class time. Changes to provincial and school board codes of conduct made clear restrictions placed on students on school property, at school-related events or in virtual environments.
The same exemptions will be maintained, the minister confirmed.
Lecce said the only difference between the 2019 policy and the 2024 policy is that there is consistency across the province.
“This time we are updating the curriculum to include mandatory learning for young children about the dangers of vaping and responsible use of technology, particularly concepts like digital citizenship.”
The minister said success will be measured in academic performance and exam results.
What is changing with vaping?
The government already announced in its 2024 budget that it would spend $30 million to install vaping detectors and other safety improvements in schools.
Students caught with vaping products or e-cigarettes on school property starting in September will be required to turn them in and parents will be notified immediately.
The government will require schools to post signs in public spaces outlining “behavioural expectations” and a marketing campaign will be launched targeting students and parents to raise awareness of the new policy.
The price of these changes is about 17.5 million dollars, of which 15 million are destined to support addictive behavior.
Officials say a PA day will be used to provide teachers and staff with mandatory training on practices to eliminate distractions.