Navigating Ontario’s New Cellphone and Vaping Regulations in Schools: Empowering Students to use tech for good
Be sure to check out the suggested Huddle question at the bottom of this article to discuss this important topic with your students in class, if you feel it is appropriate.
The province of Ontario recently unveiled tightened regulations on cellphone usage and vaping in schools, responding to an “alarming rise” of distractions in the classroom. This initiative follows four major Ontario school boards suing social media companies, citing their products’ addictive effects on student behavior and learning.
Beginning in September, students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 will not be allowed to have phones during school hours without explicit permission. Similarly, those in grades 7 to 12 will only be permitted to use their phones during class if they have prior consent from the school.
The “back-to-basics plan” includes a cellphone and vaping, tobacco, nicotine, and cannabis ban. Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Education, stated, “When it comes to cellphones, our policy is out of ‘sight and out of mind,’ as we get students back to the basics by restoring focus, safety, and common sense back in Ontario schools.”
Some students believe cell phone bans are taking away their autonomy and ability to connect with families, while others are finding loopholes by purchasing magnets on Amazon that open Yondr pounches. Other students are reportedly bringing in a second “burner photo” to turn in, while they keep their actual smartphone with them. We know students will always be ahead of the game when it comes to technology, and so empowering and equipping them with sustainable education on how to navigate tech for good is more important than ever.
As students continue to access social media and tech outside of school, and as the debate surrounding cellphone bans in the classroom continues, educators can proactively empower students to use tech for good and positively navigate social media in ways that fuel their well-being.
The Bans: What to know
In a recent announcement, Education Minister Stephen Lecce unveiled Ontario’s “back-to-basics“ plan to address the impact of social media and vaping in the classroom. The news release for these bans cites a 2023 UNESCO report that found a negative link “between excessive cellphone use and student academic performance and that students can take up to 20 minutes to refocus on what they were learning after focusing on a distraction.“ The report also shows a 2022 report that found vaping is more prevalent among younger Canadians than older, with more than one-fifth of 15 to 17-year-olds reporting vaping in the last 30 days.
At a news conference, Lecce said, “We will deny cellphone use during instructional time. We need to be bold, we need to be comprehensive, and we need to act with urgency today.“ If students do not follow the new ban, they will have to give up their phones to the administration and could be sent to the office, with a chance of suspension for repeat violations.
This isn’t the first time a cellphone ban has been implemented in Canada. In 2019, The Progressive Conservative government, a political party in Canada, banned cellphone use in the classroom unless it was for education or health purposes, with the schools and boards left to enforce the policy themselves. But there has been pushback, with The Toronto District School Board previously sharing that cellphone bans are not easy to implement.
Lecce says that the 2019 and September bans will be different with the support of teachers, principals, and superintendents. In September, cellphones will not be allowed during class periods for students in grades 7 to 12 unless the educator says it is appropriate.
When it comes to vaping, any student caught using or carrying a vape or cigarette will be asked to give it up, and the parents will be made aware of the situation. The government announced $30 million in the 2024 Budget to install vape detectors and other security upgrades. What does this mean for the future of education and student well-being? Let’s dive in.
What this means for the future of education
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, a Canadian trade Union representing 60,000 members across Ontario, says it is skeptical about “whether a blanket ban will improve matters.“ Jason Bradshaw, a High School Teacher in Ontario, shares,
“School is the perfect environment to teach kids self-regulation, because when they leave school cellphones are part of life, and they are part of our society. I don’t think it’s effective to try and enforce a policy and pretend they don’t exist.”
We’ve talked about phone bans before, and we know that phones, social media, and technology are not going away – even if schools restrict students’ use. With 89% of K-12 instructors using technology in the classroom, educators can flip the script on technology bans by showcasing how tech, when used in moderation and high-character ways, can enhance learning rather than detract from it. As educators are some of the students’ biggest role models, setting an example of positive tech use fosters a healthy relationship with technology that benefits learning and student well-being. When we do this, students are instead prepared and not overwhelmed when they inevitably get their first device or social media account.
Empowering students to use tech in positive, high-character ways
As Ontario implements new regulations to restrict cellphone use and vaping in schools, educators can huddle with their students on what positive technology use looks like to prepare them for their futures. These days, 92% of jobs require digital skills. By empowering students with the skills to navigate technology positively, educators can create a more adaptive learning environment where students are equipped with the skills to thrive in an increasingly online world.
Here are some actionable strategies that educators can bring back to the classroom:
- Strike a Balance: Huddle with your students on ways to positively strike a balance with technology to fuel their well-being. One way to do this is to help students craft a daily schedule and emphasize the importance of finishing important tasks before using phones. Apps like Forest or Flora or tech features such as Do Not Disturb or screen time limits are helpful.
- Handle the Pressure: Equip students with the knowledge and skills to handle the pressure of social media and technology. Check out this blog for more tips on how to empower students to handle the pressure of social media trends impacting their well-being.
- Promote positivity and flip the script: Huddle up with your students and empower them to join the classroom discussion on using phones and social media. Work with your students to build a tech policy everyone agrees to and encourage high standards when navigating tech both in and out of the classroom. To empower students to join the discussion on striking a balance, check out our Classroom Technology Policy.
Social media is here to stay, with trends and new technology rapidly developing every day. Therefore, it is essential to empower and equip students rather than scare and restrict them. Together, we can prepare students to thrive in an ever-changing tech world—but only if we huddle together and embrace the positives rather than harping on the negatives. Check out our Seven Social Standards and share them with your students to empower them to navigate social media and tech in positive, high-character ways.
#WinAtSocial Huddle Question
Huddle with your students
How can schools empower students to use technology responsibly while still addressing distractions in the classroom?
The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.