Come September one Victoria school will be a no cellphone zone.
Central Middle School currently allows students to bring their phones to class for learning use only. But come next fall students “will no longer be allowed to bring cellphones (or internet-connected iPods) to school,” according to a letter to parents from Principal Christopher Macintosh.
“Many students have tremendous difficulty managing their use of cellphones, and because of this, teachers are finding phones a serious impediment to instruction and learning,” the letter said.
With no provincial policy on cellphone use in B.C. classrooms, it’s up to schools to “set their own set of expectations for students,” according to a statement from the BC Teachers’ Federation.
READ MORE: How young is too young for a child to have a cellphone?
Central Middle School’s cellphone ban — a first for the Greater Victoria School District — has the support of social media expert Jesse Miller, who says it’s important for parents and educators to teach kids how to properly use technologies like cellphones but also help them “find that ability to put it down.”
The school is surveying parents for more feedback. Students may be able to bring their phones and store them in the office until class is over.
In the letter, Macintosh tried to address parents who may be concerned that they won’t be able to get in touch with their children during school hours.
“We understand this will mean more students using the office and more parents calling the office to leave messages for their children,” Macintosh wrote. “This has always been available in our school and we are happy to continue to ensure parents and students can contact each other.”
Miller notes that a middle school in Toronto has implemented a similar ban and parents learned to adjust.
“The parents who are advocating here that the technology is necessary seem to be screaming a bit more about their own anxieties about being able to contact their children through the day more so than the benefits of education or finding some tech balance,” he said.
— With files from Kristen Robinson
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