Mixed student responses as Ontario continues 'crackdown' on classroom cellphone use

You can count 16-year-old Selina Nissan among the Windsor students who aren't impressed by Ontario getting more restrictive about cellphones in classrooms.

"I think it's semi-unnecessary," said the Grade 11 Assumption College Catholic High School student. "I think it helps students focus a little more on what the teacher is teaching. But I also think that sometimes, during classwork, students focus more with music in the back."

According to Nissan, she's actually more productive doing classwork when she's able to listen to some jazz in her ear buds. "Because it helps me focus more on the work rather than the outside world," she argues.

Nissan also believes there are students who will find ways to stay on their cellphones during class hours. "There are some who are a little stubborn with it... They just put it under their desks."

But the policy is not that different from the rules two local school boards already had in place, representatives tell CBC. 

Windsor-Essex children and teens are one week into a new school year — and one week under new rules from the Ministry of Education regarding student devices.

The province announced in late April that it would be "cracking down" on cellphone use among students, launching what it described as "the most comprehensive plan in Canada to reduce distractions in classrooms."

Under the terms of a provincial memorandum, all elementary school students — kindergarten to Grade 6 — must keep phones on silent and out of sight for the entire school day.

Students from Grades 7 to 12 can use their cellphones during the school day, but not during class time — unless specifically permitted by teachers.

Additionally, the province declared that social media platforms must be removed from "all school networks and devices."

Both the Greater Essex County District School Board and the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board issued notices to students and parents about the stricter attitudes concerning cellphones.

But Joe Bell, superintendent of student well-being for the GECDSB, told CBC that the board already had similar rules in place through its student code of conduct and acceptable use policies.

"It really wasn't a change for us," Bell said.

On the question of enforcement, Bell said the support of parents and caregivers will be critical.

Students caught using their cellphones during prohibited times will first be asked to put the device away.

Persistent non-compliance will result in a trip to the principal's office and communication with parental figures.

"We're not asking our educators to confiscate the cellphone at all," Bell explained. "We're asking them to ask for compliance. And when they don't get compliance, they would move to progressive discipline and involve the administration."

Stephen Fields, spokesperson for the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB), had similar comments.

"We already had policies on the books which limited and restricted cellphone use in our classrooms," Fields said. "I would suggest that our students, for the most part, were already fairly used to not having their cellphones available in the classroom."

The current WECDSB policy is even a bit more strict than the provincial one: The WECDSB extends the elementary school rule (no cellphone use for the entire school day) to Grades 7 and 8.

But like the public board, the Catholic school board will not confiscate cellphones.

Fields said there could be liability issues regarding seizure of such property: "These are expensive devices."

Both Bell and Fields said the major social media platforms — TikTok, SnapChat, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) — are being blocked on school Wi-Fi networks.

As for the notion that such restrictions on student cellphone use are a bit moot, considering the prevalence of constant cellphone use in the adult world, Bell pointed to the idea of setting a better example.

"We're trying to develop and foster good habits," he reflected. "The most recent numbers are over three-quarters of students are spending three hours or more per day in front of an electronic screen in their free time."

"Is this ubiquitous? I don't think we're all just throwing in the towel quite yet and saying there's nothing we can do about it. I think we really have an obligation to our students to minimize those distractions in the learning environment.

Grade 12 Assumption College Catholic High School student David Adebayo, an aspiring engineer, believes in the new provincial policy and says his classmates have been treating it seriously.

"Everyone's being pretty respectable with it. This school is really known for being respectful," said Adebayo, 17.

"I know it's for my well-being and my studies, so I accept it with open arms."

But Caleb Howard, a Grade 11 student at W.C. Kennedy Collegiate, is skeptical.

"I don't think it's a good idea. I feel like students should have their phones for when they need parent help," argued Howard, 16.

Howard admits that "a very large amount" of his fellow students are addicted to their devices. But the same could be said about the general public. "Some people don't have any self-control with their cellphone."