Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
How are we going to enforce these?
Because you already can’t vape in schools, and it’s been possible for boards to ban cellphones, but teachers don’t have the backing of administration and they’re certainly not protected from liability.
If I were a teacher knowing that if I were to bust little Johnny for TikToking in class or vaping in the washroom, I’d have to face a belligerent student and/or angry parents and the principal, superintendant and ministry would hang me out to dry, I wouldn’t bother.
This is just another Ford government way to put the public sector in a lose-lose position so that they can, in this case, start out a voucher system run by private-sector buddies.
Thats literally it. And don’t forget how much they’ll add this to the list of their accolades that they boast about at every opportunity.
Sask Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission has a similar policy of no electronic devices in the classroom. They can be outside the classroom during breaks(of which there are many). You’re allowed to have them on you, and leave class to take or make a call if you consider it important enough, just can’t have them out in the classroom. While it would have been nice sometimes to have access to network connected devices to supplement the classes, I can also understand the arguments around privacy, and distraction particularly among children/teens.
I haven’t taught in Ontario in over a decade, but I don’t think the problems with cell phones are unique to Ontario. I’m surprised by the comments here, tbh.
The research is very clear: mental health (and educational outcomes) for youth have taken a nosedive since 2010, when smart phones became commonplace. In the case of educational outcomes, 2010 is the first ever reversal in the otherwise increasing trend.
Smart phones are addiction machines, with predatory apps like SnapChat that are full of dark patterns designed to increase “engagement” (addiction) while having the same short-attention-span-decreasing exposure to video shorts as TikTok that encourage self harm, suicidal ideation, misogyny, and eating disorders. (On average, all of the above within 10 minutes of starting to use the platform.)
Educators cannot compete with addiction machines. If we were writing laws objectively to improve student mental health, smart phones should be illegal for users under age 16 (at least).
This is an example of a shit government making a good decision. I hope the rest of Canada follows.
The research is very clear: mental health (and educational outcomes) for youth have taken a nosedive since 2010, when smart phones became commonplace. In the case of educational outcomes, 2010 is the first ever reversal in the otherwise trend.
Social media also jumped from then to now but I don’t think the problem is using them in class. They will still be used every other hour of the day
Educators cannot compete with addiction machines. If we were writing laws objectively to improve student mental health, smart phones should be illegal for users under age 16 (at least).
I think a law like that would actually be effective but again having it target social media
This is an example of a shit government making a good decision
I really don’t see it working
For my kids that were in that age range, and their peers, it meant drama being spread while teacher was trying to keep studenta focused onvthe lesson, rather than their phone screen. it will definitely have an impact, as it will be a short break from it at least.
We had a youth trip, no phones. Kids were complaining and trying to sneak in , but after a few days they were thanking the adults for not having phones allowed, since they could actually relax and enjoy the activities and actual social interaction
For my kids that were in that age range, and their peers, it meant drama being spread while teacher was trying to keep studenta focused onvthe lesson, rather than their phone screen. it will definitely have an impact, as it will be a short break from it at least.
Passing notes?
example
I think it might be different than in class and assumes this will be enforced, it’s not like schools couldn’t ban then before
Pagers were banned in my school but not the school over
Schools should have banned them immediately. So much immediate need to know what another student in another class is doing, and distance bullying.
My kids are now teaching, they said kids 8 years old have Apple watches and are totally distracted from the lesson by notifications, and probably helicopter parent texting them.
I worry our future generations will have no inner peace, as I see a part of life that is missing is being able to enjoy your own company and delve into a single task.
I’m surprised it took this long. Cellphones should be placed in lockers or into classroom size cellphone holder/chargers that many schools use when they enter class if they are not asked to keep it in their lockers all day, save lunch.
Surprised by some of the comments, def not teachers but sound like folks who might die if you were to separate them from their phones.
Cellphones in classrooms are a problem and shouldn’t be allowed whether that’s 100% enforceable or not.
How a Connecticut middle school won the battle against cellphones https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/01/school-cellphones-confiscate/
They would rather sweep the problem under the rug rather than teaching kids about responsible and safe use of technology etc… it’s far easier and less costly.
But what about those damn phones? Kids surely aren’t using their phones cuz the classes r boring as shit due to a boring and underfunded education system. Now that we have taken their phones away, they surely won’t find some other distraction like bullying the teacher, fooling around with their peers and so on… They surely are going to be model students who always pay attention to the teacher and everything that is taught. /s
This is gonna be one of those laws that we have but never use. This just doesnt seem possible to me I see teachers on their phones in classes sometimes. I know they are adults but you think teenagers are gonna think the same lol
I get the vaping ban, but banning smartphones is one of the stupidest bullshit I’ve ever heard. There’s an underfunded public education system, but no- the problem is clearly those damn smartphones. Fucking conservatives man…
We already have this in France, up to around 14-15 yo. Banned in school altogether.
Guess what, the kida are okay with that.
Also, banning it “in classrooms” seems like a given, do you use your steam deck in the classroom? If no then why your phone.
I agree. Teachers are ALREADY trying to stop kids using cellphones in class, this just gives tools to do so.
If a student breaks the rules, their cellphone should be immediately surrendered to a staff members and parents will be notified.
The kids aren’t okay with that. I’m sure that instead of staying quiet and messing with their phones, they’re now actively causing a disturbance in the class.
I know this because I went to both types of schools- where phones were banned and where they weren’t. Guess what- if ur class is shit, kids are going to find some distraction to kill the time. If phones are there, those would be the distraction. If phones aren’t there, then hooliganism, disturbing the class, taking the piss out of the teacher, etc. would be the distractions.
The problem isn’t the phones. The problem is boring classes, which are a result of a broken and underfunded education system.
Why is this the stupidest bullshit? I’m honestly surprised this wasn’t already a thing in schools
I had mind numbingly boring classes when I was in school. Why were they boring in the first place? Cuz the curriculum was stupid/the teachers weren’t that good. The solutions to both problems are by increasing the education budget.
I also had teachers who were so amazing that noone was distracted. My point is, kids don’t use phones in classes for absolutely no reason. Kids do that cuz the classes are shite. Fix the classes and the kids won’t use their phones.
You may not have but many people get involved in drama and have OCD about knowing everything and responding immediatly, for those types they can’t put the phone down even with the best twachwr present.
Then that’s a disorder that they need to be taught how to deal with. They won’t stop doing this when they get out of school, no? Isn’t school the best place to teach them how to deal with it? You know… Cuz it’s school… Where teaching is supposed to happen…
Mental health “schooling” should be part of learning, but it currently isn’t and reinforcing OCD/anxiety disorders by allowing it makes it worse. Its why you also see the kids with the parent that is constantly in touch and rescuing creating a child that can’t function on their own because they have never had to sit with uncomfortableness. People stopped learning distress tolerance by natural methods
When I was in high school, if you got caught using your cell phone in class, you got it taken away and your parents had to come pick it up. Has this changed?
When I was in highschool (early '10s) I remember successfully arguing that since laptops were allowed in class we should be allowed to use our phones for schoolwork too. Whether that was actually good is debatable. I did actually type the majority of my work on my phone but I also wasted a lot of time screwing around, although the same could be said for the computer lab and I’m sure it would’ve been the same if I ever had a laptop.
(One note, apparently the school I went to was kind of weird, and only half your classes were actually lessons by your own teacher. Generally all devices were restricted during those classes, with limited exceptions on a teacher-by-teacher basis.)
Lol cellphones and pagers were for drug dealers! /s
Do you know how many problems teachers have with cellphones in the call rooms? Kids are just texting each other and are distracted in class. The teachers cannot take them away anymore and kids just react out if told to do something. It’s a gong show, at least teachers have a way to enforce this now. It doesn’t affect their use out of class just during class. And it’s still up to teachers discretion to allow it in class at times.
