No consultation, few changes: school cellphone ban criticized

On December 31, 2023, Quebec passed a law banning the use of smartphones in the classroom in the province's high schools. The law is still provoking mixed reactions, especially among students.

The government justifies the measure by citing the distractions caused by phones in the classroom, thus hindering learning. According to several education experts, the ban is intended to improve student concentration and foster an environment conducive to studying.

Exceptions to the rule

However, certain exceptions are provided for. Telephone use remains permitted when the teacher integrates it into a teaching activity, when a student's state of health requires it, or when a student has special needs due to a handicap, an adaptation or a learning difficulty. 

No consultation with students

However, students were not consulted before the law was passed. Many of them have expressed their dissatisfaction, saying that phones have become essential tools not only for communication, but also for learning.

A brief from the Ministry of Education presented to the Council of Ministers by Bernard Drainville, dated October 3, 2023, confirms that “no consultation was carried out”. However, the directive is based on data gathered from the education network, including school service centers, educational institutions, teachers and partners. 

A ban deemed superfluous by some students

Many students feel that this law is unnecessary. They point out that most schools were already enforcing strict rules on the use of electronic devices in the classroom and, in some cases, in the hallways, long before the advent of smartphones.

In their view, the regulations in place were already sufficient to control phone use, and the majority of students complied with current guidelines. “At our school, teachers allow us to keep our cell phones on us, but we can't use them in class. And it works fine that way,” explains one student.

Other students feel that the ban ignores the fact that phones are an essential means of communicating with their parents, especially in an emergency. “Our parents want to be able to reach us if there's a problem,” says one student.

Interviewed by Néomédia, several students feel that other priorities should be addressed before imposing a ban they consider excessive. “There are much bigger problems in the schools: there aren't enough teachers, many schools need renovations and classes are overflowing,” laments a Secondary 5 student, ”We should put energy elsewhere before banning phones.” 

Uneven enforcement and a ban called into question

Despite the current ban, the presence of cell phones in schools does not seem to have disappeared. With a lack of consultation and an application that, in practice, differs little from the previous situation, the ban raises questions about the relevance of imposing a wall-to-wall rule rather than letting schools manage the issue on a case-by-case basis.

Bernard Drainville, the Minister of Education, is even considering making the law tougher by banning phones everywhere in schools.