Calling the shots: francophone schools ban cellphones from class Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
By: Maggie Macintosh Posted: 5:55 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 6, 2023

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This article was published 06/09/2023 (1060 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s francophone schools are cracking down on texting and mindless scrolling during lessons with a new ban on cellphones, as classes return for another year.

La Division scolaire franco-manitobaine is calling on students of all ages to leave their cellphones at home or turn them off during the day to minimize distractions and reduce students’ overall screen time.

The new policy, which will be phased in after months of consultation with teachers, students and their families, will officially take effect next month.

“I know these directives might not be popular. I don’t want to be hated, but my job is to try to do the best thing possible to ameliorate study conditions for our students,” superintendent Alain Laberge told the Free Press.

Previously, teachers used their professional judgment to make rules for their respective rooms.

The patchwork of policies has made it difficult for teachers to police appropriate use, Laberge said, noting phones are an ongoing distraction in the classroom and cause bullying-related concerns.

When the announcement was made during orientation at Collège Louis-Riel, teenagers in the crowd let out groans and gasps. Grade 12 student Annita Siapata was among the surprised students, although she is skeptical about whether the new rules on phone use will be effective.

“It’s going to be hard,” the 16-year-old said. “I love my phone. I’m always on TikTok, scrolling and in class, I listen better if I’m on my phone. If I’m just listening to you, I’m going to fall asleep. I take notes better on my phone. I record the teacher talking so that I can listen to it later.”

Following the dismissal bell on Wednesday, a handful of high schoolers said they supported the move in order to address students’ obsessive phone use but described observing little or no change in their classrooms so far.

“Students will always find a way to do things they want,” said Sirai Heller, 17. “But I hope that it works to get kids (to take a break from their devices). If it makes them focus more on school, I think that would be nice.”

DSFM administrators are asking kindergarten-to-Grade 8 students to stop taking phones to school. In Grades 9 to 12, teenagers are being directed to put away devices and earbuds unless it is lunchtime.

In addition to the new ban, the division is finalizing guidelines that encourage teachers to minimize the use of devices during the day and consider increasing pen-and-paper assignments.

The superintendent indicated guardians can call a school office if there is an emergency and a staff member will pull a student from class — a longstanding practice before it became common for youth to carry phones at all times.

“We wanted to make sure that during class time, there was no cellular anywhere,” Laberge said, noting an abundance of students and staff connecting to school WiFi at once slows down internet service for educational purposes.

The division’s internet traffic data reveals students download Netflix shows and spend significant periods on social media, he said.

Over the summer break, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization released a report calling for the universal outlawing of phone use in classrooms because of the negative effect of excessive screen time on learning and well-being.

“We wanted to make sure that during class time, there was no cellular anywhere.”–Alain Laberge

Quebec’s education minister recently announced that province would issue a sweeping cellphone ban in schools. Ontario already has one in place on paper.

Not only is enforcing a ban incredibly difficult, but such policies ignore the reality that students will find a way to be online and as a result, bombarded with misinformation and other content that they need to learn to sift through, said Lana Parker, an associate professor of education at the University of Windsor.

“What would be better to do is to think about renewing our curriculum and updating our teaching practices so that we have more time and space in person, in the classroom to grapple with some of those critical literacies that students need,” said Parker, who is interested in how young people make meaning of complex online environments.

“It’s going to be hard. I love my phone… I take notes better on my phone. I record the teacher talking so that I can listen to it later.”–Annita Siapata, student

Roughly two-thirds of Canadian students can use a personal device at school, according to a survey conducted by MediaSmarts, an Ottawa-based charity that creates digital and media literacy programs.

Matthew Johnson, director of education, said learning how to manage the distraction caused by cellphones is “a really important work and learning skill” in and of itself.

“I think we do kids a disservice by not teaching them that – now that doesn’t mean opening the doors wide,” he said.

Johnson advocates for creating rules that encourage “positive and empowered use” of student devices where appropriate.

The Manitoba Teachers’ Society indicated it does not have a position on the matter.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca