Advertisement

Earl Grey Senior Public School in Toronto bans cellphone use in class

Earl Grey Senior Public School in east-end Toronto is banning cellphone use in classrooms and hallways.

A letter sent out to parents this week said the middle school is changing its cellphone policy due to growing concerns over its use and the distraction it has posed in classrooms.

Toronto District School Board (TDSB) spokesman Ryan Bird said the ban came about following complaints from parents.

READ MORE: How young is too young for a child to have a cellphone?

“In general, the phones had become a distraction in class, so the school took steps, in consultation with parents, to reduce and eliminate that issue,” Bird said.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Beginning on Tuesday, cellphones will no longer be allowed in class and texting, photo taking and social media will also be prohibited during the lunch hour.

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: Coquitlam organization wants cellphones out of kids’ bedrooms at night

The school board said students will be allowed to use their mobile devices in class if it is part of the teacher’s lesson plan.

The TDSB instituted a board-wide cellphone ban in schools in 2007 but it was lifted in 2011. Now it is up to individual schools to decide what policy best suits their needs.

“In general, the use of cell phones is left to the discretion of schools or classrooms,” Bird said. “We encourage the use of technology but only when it makes educational sense.”

VIDEO: Beginning next week, a Toronto middle school will ban cell phone use for students. Cindy Pom reports on the reason for the ban.

Click to play video: 'Toronto middle school to ban cell phone use'
Toronto middle school to ban cell phone use

Sponsored content

AdChoices