SUDBURY—The presidents of the Rainbow District local secondary and elementary school federations both agree with the provincial crackdown on cellphone use and banning vaping in schools and say both are a good move, but both federations have serious concerns with the changes being made.
Eric Laberge, Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) president says it appears the provincial announcement made last week is needed as studies have shown that cellphone use in class is detrimental to students’ learning, but said he has reservations.
“It all sounds great, but the question is, what is it going to look like in the trenches for teachers who have to monitor this?” asked Mr. Laberge. “I am reserving judgement on this whole thing. The announcement has brought with it more questions than answers.”
“The grand proclamation was made by the government on a Sunday afternoon, with a letter from Minister (Stephen) Lecce being forwarded to all parents,” said Mr. Laberge. “They made this announcement and are patting their backs on doing this, but they have provided no idea as to what this means and what to expect when it rolls out and how it will impact members and students.”
“It is one thing to put out policy to address issues, but clarification on ownership and responsibility needs to go with it,” said Mr. Laberge. “Ultimately it will be the front-line staff, teachers, who will have to enforce this.”
Liana Holm, president of the Rainbow Local Elementary Teachers Federation (ETFO) said, “We have a lot of concerns on all of this. How is this all going to be policed and how strong are the policies going to be? Under the legislation there can be student suspensions if they are found in contravention of the policies a number of times, but who is going to enforce this?”
“The idea of cracking down on cellphones and banning vaping in schools is not a bad idea,” said Ms. Holm. “But I don’t think how this is going to be applied has all been worked through. Also, under the policies the school board will task the schools to have social media sites banned on all school networks and devices, but if a student has the right data on their own phone, they will still be able to use their phone.”
“The other concern I have is that this announcement is deflecting from the fact that the provincial budget does not have anything in the area of mental health supports in education for students and teachers,” said Ms. Holm. “If the government was listening they would know the education system does not have enough mental supports in place. We need more mental health, mental health experts and people and resources in the education system. Students are having more violent outbursts in classes. And teachers are having to deal with this violence which is now at an alarming rate. There is a real need to have additional mental health support and resources in schools, all schools.”
In a letter from Minister Lecce to parents dated April 30 he explains, “For the first time in nearly a generation, our government successfully negotiated agreements with all teachers’ unions and averted strikes in schools. This allowed us to deliver on our promise to parents to bring stability to classrooms and keep kids in class.”
“As kids benefit from three more years of uninterrupted learning, I have heard from many of you, teachers and students alike, about concerns about the alarming rise of youth vaping in schools and the persistent use of cellphones as a distraction for learning in class,” wrote Minister Lecce.
“That is why we are rolling out Canada’s most comprehensive plan to counter these threats,” continued Minister Lecce. “To help reduce distractions in our schools, starting this September we are denying cellphone usage during instructional time so that students can focus on getting back to basics and learning foundational skills like reading, writing and math.”
“Our youngest learners in Kindergarten to Grade 6, who may have phones, will now be required to keep phones on silent and out of sight for the duration of the day,” wrote Minister Lecce. He explained for students in Grades 7 to 12, phones can be with the student.
“However, they will only be permitted during instructional time if explicitly allowed by the educator. We will also commit to having report cards that include comments on student’s distraction levels in class. We recognize that some parents want to communicate with their children during school, and the policies listed above will still permit that during non-instructional time or when an educator gives permission,” continued Minister Lecce.
“When it comes to cellphones, Ontario’s policy is ‘out of sight and out of mind.’ We are also removing social media websites from all school networks and devices to help strengthen in-person relationships, communication and social-emotional skills,” explained Minister Lecce. “We have also announced a strict anti-vaping policy in schools where parents are immediately informed and the vapes in a student’s possession will be given up and disposed of. There are immediate consequences for students caught in possession of illegal substances, and public health units can also be engaged to support education, prevention and enforcement, when necessary. We are also providing funding to schools to install vape detectors so they can better enforce these new rules,” the minister continued.
Minister Lecce wrote, “We are also increasing wrap-around supports for students to support learning, addictive behaviours and implementation, as well as dedicated training for teachers and supports for parents on how best to manage this change. I encourage you to read the updated provincial code of conduct that outlines these changes. No matter how strong the policy is, we can’t do this alone.”
“To truly change behaviours, we are asking for your support and collaboration to hold conversations at home about the new expectations and the importance of respecting schools staff and the rules as we head into September,” the minister added. “Your cooperation will help ensure students can get back to basics, focus on their studies, and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow. By doing so, we restore common sense, where the focus remains on academic achievement and the safety of your child.”
