Ontario’s education minister is reminding Ontarians of the upcoming cellphone ban in classrooms across the province and warns of disciplinary measures, including being sent to the principal’s office, just days before the start of the new school year.
Jill Dunlop made the remarks on Thursday at a school in Caledon, Ont., commenting on the provincewide ban that was announced in the spring and takes effect for the 2024-2025 school year.
“This is a culture change in the classroom,” Dunlop said.
“To keep kids focused on learning in classrooms, not on cell notifications, we’re banning cellphones in classrooms,” Dunlop said. “We’re removing distractions to ensure that there’s student success, that students can focus on what is being taught in the classroom.”
New policies will order phones into silent mode and out of view during school hours. Every public school in Ontario will have the same policy in place regarding cellphones.
For children in kindergarten to Grade 6, those rules will apply for the entire school day. Students in grades 7 and above will be allowed to use their devices between classes and at lunch but will be expected to observe the ban during teaching time.
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Exceptions can be made for students who ask permission to make a call, for example to a parent, but the default rule will be for phones to be kept away. To set an example, teachers and classroom assistants will also be told not to use their phones unless it is for a task directly related to work.
When it comes to enforcement, Dunlop said there are discipline measures in place for educators.
“If students do not abide by those rules, they will be asked to put the cellphone in a safe space in the classroom,” Dunlop said.
“If students do not follow that, they will be asked to go to the principal’s office. There are discipline measures in place that could be taken and we will support the principals in those measures.”
Dunlop also reiterated the ban on vapes at schools. Teachers have been instructed to confiscate vape products from students caught using them and to immediately notify their parents.
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