Cellphones, devices restricted in B.C. schools as students return

When B.C. students head back to school next week, policies will now be in place to restrict cellphones and other digital devices while on the premises.

The policies will differ across school districts, according to the B.C. government. They will address when students can use phones at school, while also considering the use of devices for accessibility and medical needs.

“We want to ensure that when kids are in the classroom, they can learn without distractions that take away from their ability to thrive in school,” Rachna Singh, minister of education and child care, said in a statement.

“This work will help to minimize some of those distractions so we can set students up for success, and we can then focus on empowering students to develop safe, informed, healthy habits when using technology and social media.”

4:37 B.C. restricting cell phone use in schools

Parents will be offered digital literacy training, along with students, so they have the knowledge and tools to keep their children safe, the province said.

Access zones around schools will help protect students and staff from harassing protesters, the province outlined in a release, and those zones are in place at K-12 schools.

Police can arrest or issue tickets to anyone found impeding access, disrupting or interfering with educational activities, or attempting to intimidate an individual within 20 metres (66 feet) of school property. The zones will be in effect on school days from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., and during extracurricular school activities at all of B.C.’s K-12 public and independent schools, with limited exceptions.