Should have been done a decade ago

Cell phones should never be allowed in the classroom. If a parent needs to get in touch with a student you call the office and they page you. They are a massive distraction

Parents are going to see how strong smart phone addiction is.

Back in my day we couldnt even chew gum in class. Get these phones outta there.

Who is the person that allowed cell phones in the schools in the first place?

About time. My daughter has the privilege of being on exchange in France right now, and phones are not allowed in school. AND, the teachers are actually respected there. You know what, the schools in France are at least a full year ahead of Ontario schools. Our education system has deteriorated significantly, and teachers are not respected. This is a good first start.

Congratulations! This is a GREAT DECISION!

Great idea and cell phones should be banned from all schools

I mean usually students in school are 18 or younger so they shouldnt even be legally allowed to have a vape product in there possession. This makes no sense. Cell phones were already being taken away from us when i was back in high school

Never should have been there in the first place

Good, tired of my taxes going to school other peoples kids who just sit on their cellphones and come out of school uneducated.

Criticism will mainly come from helicopter parents, who cant keep their anxieties in check, and like to stay in touch with their kids 24/7.

I’m an English teacher in BC. It’s hard to watch students clutching their phones each second of the day. From what I see in schools, phones are a huge barrier to personal and social awareness at that age. I feel that these kids are the victims of a society that’s normalized technology addiction. Literacy levels are suffering; students are years behind their capability. Educating students on the ethical integration of ChatGPT is on my mind as well. Students are, again, the victims; we can’t necessarily blame them for having unguided access to such technology. I do believe enforcing restrictions on phone usage is a step in the right direction. It’s going to feel like dipping in ice water, but we need to wake up as a culture and help our institutions deliver true learning. The challenge ahead is meeting students at their points of understanding once phones are out of the picture.

Good move, as a teacher in Ontario. I wish we had this decision long time ago.

Should've done this 10+ years ago.

Amen no need of those in schools at all

As a teacher, this policy has no teeth unless there are much more serious consequences. Taking cell phones away from students is already being done. Smoking in a building is already against the by laws. Students should be fined hundreds of dollars. Calling parents if a student is vaping is already being done. This announcement is bunch of bs.

cellphone is a destruction for metal well-being & focusing on learning .thanks to Ontario for this great decison!👍🏼

Yes! And our son is just graduating...so...a bit late! Parents have to take responsibility!

How in the world are they going to enforce that? Teachers are already not supported with beahviour issues.

Great move . Better late than never . Welcome this and more such measures to brighten the future of our country

I'm so glad I graduated from high school in 1983. The height of personal technology back then was a pocket calculator. In all the years I went to school, I needed to use a telephone just three times during school hours. Twice I was permitted to use an office phone to call home. I used a pay phone once.

Hell when i went to high-school in the 60s we weren't allowed to even use calculators in class. So who thought it was a good idea to let distractions like cellphones into class ?

Can't believe they were ever allowed in the first place

Much needed one…. Too much phones even outside classroom is killing them!

That is a good decision by government, we welcome this. Trying anything good is always a right step, no matter how much good results we get back, we need to keep striving for good things.

Please Please bring back the police in schools for the tdsb

Look at all the schools around the world specially in Asian and South Asian countries they have proper uniform, no cell phone, no makeup and lots of respect for their teacher and fellow students

There should be no phones in the classroom. Period... why was this ever allowed ? Crazy

I got fired in January 2023 because I kicked out a student on their cellphone while I was trying to get through Lord of the Flies. A little too late for me. It's a disaster out there folks - it's worse than you think.

The problem is the parents agree to the ban up until their own child get disciplined, caught having the phone. Then the parents hire lawyers and the school wastes tax payers money on frivolous law suits. In my highschool in the 90s all the parents agreed to ban reveing motors and dangerous driving in the school parking lot. The school tried to discipline a kid for this and that parent suited the school for infringing on the kids right to have a car ... .... In fact some of the people messaging here that agree on the ban, are the same people who will sue to reverse the ban when their kid gets caught.

Finally Canada’s making smarter decisions. About time

This wasn’t a thing already? When I was in high school if you got caught with your cellphone out in class they were confiscated.

When my kids where young, the schools banned cell phones, and had police visiting saying that kids should never be unsupervised around computers, due to child trafficking, etc... Then one year they flipped, and you basically had to have a cell phone, or your own computer, but our kids didn't. Now they are flipping back. I am not anti tech, I was on the board of a charity that tried to get computers into school, back when teachers didn't know how to turn them on. But this is just further evidence of the government never having a clue, and just bouncing from one level of unreality to another. The schools are a mess and cell phones are just one of many mistakes.

These measures are being taken a generation too late.

Ban PBLA in LINC schools as well!!! It's a terrible distraction from the teaching-learning process, real detriment to education.

Here comes the emergency notes saying that the kid need his cellphone in case of emergency or any health related excuse.

Common Sense

The education starts with the parents at home.

only took an entire generation to finally realize it

It’s about time!! Now, stop cuts to education and we can progress!

As a high school student, I would like to say it's about damn time.

But they have to inforce this to teachers too , i have seen some teachers on phones in the classroom especially when they are giving tests in class

Gen x has been saying this since they allowed phones , but no one ever wants to hear what we have to say !!!

Put cell phones away strictly. Students must focus on math in fraction, percent, decimal, geometry and trigonometry for students' career future. Besides, Stephen Lecce has no knowledge of geometry and trigonometry for physics. He is not suitable as minister of education because of lack of funding for resource teachers for special needs.

As a 30 year old I'm baffled this is even a thing. Iphones didn't come out until I was like 13-15 but we had things like GameBoys, Tamagochis, etc. My teachers would stop the whole class if I ever attempted to do use any device. Now kids in elementary schools are on laptops.

This will surely work just like banning violence, drugs and smoking from schools

Better FIFTEEN years late than never.

Why are we all pretending like kids even NEED cell phones? 99% of these kids in school are not paying for their own phones. This is on the parents enabling this behaviour.

I retired from teaching just as the phone craze was starting. They should never have been allowed in classrooms. But, kids are going to get their phones stolen, a whole new problem. Sigh.

As an immigrant from Pakistan where cell phones are totally prohibited in school, I think this is a good decision because back when i came here in Canada i didnt know about this that we can also take cell phones with us in school. That was a shocking news to me when i joined the High School.

At my yoga studio you have to put your cellphone in a faraday pouch and then in a locker. If you are caught with a cell phone in the main studio you are banned.

Wow. Something extremely positive happening in public schools. Very rare. Great move.

I like how they're making this announcement in front of a bunch of kids playing basketball.

Schools and parents work together ❤

Then they need to anti-up for a computer for each student as they are expected to use the internet during class for class work. I’m all for no cell phones but they need to adjust their curriculum and access to information reliant on technology.

Good , about time , big disturbance in classrooms

It’s about time. When I found out how lazy some Ontario teachers have become I was appalled. 10minutes of instruction time kids rush through their work to get on Social media. No self control. No skills. There are so many creative ways this can be implemented. I would advocate also re- instructing children on dbt skills especially emotional regulation, interpersonal and mindfulness and distress tolerance skills. It will speed up reversing the mental health crisis. The leaders of this country has failed these kids and it’s time to restore common sense. Time to catch up to the rest of the world that are serious about education. Excited to see the bright minds of children returning because they deserve a chance to thrive it’s been hell for too many years. Love this. Stick by it. Time for grown ups to grow up.

these limits should be made in business as well. There is more ‘stealing’ of time spent by employees just using their phones. Also the ban on accessing social or marketing sites at the workplace. A lot of major business are working through networks. Employers know the sites they are visiting and when. There needs to be a crackdown on this.

Why the fuck were students allowed to vape on school grounds in the first place? You can't legally purchase those products unless you are 18-19 years old to begin with. They should have been confiscated if they were shown on school grounds, let alone USED on school grounds. In the late 2000s my high school had a "smoke pit" but it was not ON school grounds but on a public street and if kids tried to give/show cigs to others they were confiscated.

They wait till the damage is done and well saturated. Lol Next up is that catch and release.

I have a hard time believing the well-being of our youth is at heart of these politicians.

Excellent! Never should have cell phones nor vaping in classrooms! Surely glad I am no longer teaching school! I began in 1962.

Much of these proposed rules are already school policy, such as not allowing phones to be out during class and that they must be on silent. Vapes not being allowed and mandating a report to the parents is a great rule, as well as not allowing the school's internet to provide access to social media websites on their wifi, all reasonable. Not allowing students to use phones during lunch without express permission is ridiculous - it's their lunch break, permission should not be necessary. Even more problematic is adding a section to the report card stating the attention level of the student - yes some students are delinquents who should apply themselves more, but many students who fail to stay engaged do so because the curriculum does not adjust to their learning style - some students acclimate well to a style of teaching that keeps students in desks with heads down to the paper, but many others do not. I feel as though deficiencies with the school system are being ignored and instead teachers who do a poor job keeping different kinds of students engaged can blame the students themselves for their shortcomings. Cherry on top - giving students 17.5 million to assist with mental health while giving almost double that amount to install vape pen detectors, even after acknowledging that the majority of vape users are below age 25, meaning that these kids naturally grow out of the habit, and that a large reason for their use of vape pens was curiosity and *stress*. You can ban the symptom but you'll leave them with the problem - the stress. That 30 million would be better spent towards additional student mental health programs or higher salaries for teachers/schools to provide better working conditions for teachers who often have to pay out of pocket for supplies necessary for their work, and better learning conditions for students.

I applaud banning vapes, nicotine, mobile phones and other distractions in Ontario schools. Ditto for access to time-wasting Internet-based social media sites. I find it reprehensible that these common sense measures took so long to be established.

FINALLY!!!! I hope Québec does the same and all other provinces!

THIS IS INHUMANE. How is my child supposed to learn anything without their vape pen???

Why did it forever to stop cell phones usage in classrooms anyways?

Apart from removing cell phones in classrooms, you need to attend to and address the blatant and rampant injustices that occur in Ontario schools . Some vice principals, principals, and superintendents seem to be absolutely clueless about the Board directives, and they do not adhere to the guidelines of Growing Success . This needs to be addressed urgently so that if these people can not effectively do their jobs, they need to find other careers so that our children are on a level playing field. Also, there is a new trend in education ie. passing everybody more importantly those who do not meet the grade. What we would be getting are in some cases doctors who would be removing vital organs believing that these are tumors. The is definitely a major decline in the education system which would have a major impact on society. Something has to be done or else the future generations would be in a state of oblivion.

gonna be about as effective as the ban on cellphone use while driving.

They forgot to say the ban was only for phones smaller than 6x10 inches.

Good luck What happens when an entire class pulls their phones out? Suspend the entire class? Nice on paper not in reality

Finally!!! That's long awaited! It'll definitely improve children knowledge!

Let’s do this right across the country!!! Kids need to LEARN without distraction

In today's schools with all the really weird and woke teachers that might not be a good idea

good luck enforcing this in Scarboro

Kids in kindergarten have cell phones? What kind of parents are these people.

Thank you 🙏 now let’s focus on the uniform and proper attire for non uniform schools,make up and bussing for every child in need.

my child is constantly distracted in class. every day they are forced to experience the tantrums of some of their colleagues. what right do others have to prevent my child from feeling safe emotionally and physically, and from being able to learn? why are they abused in a systemic manner every time they go to school? and why are the rights of the abuser put above the rights of everyone else who just wants to feel safe and to engage with their education? also, why are all the laws put in place pertaining to the education act and to children aid society policies being ignored by the schools and school boards? where are justice, accountability, sanity? why do you have two to three adults in each class considering that the conditions are not proper for a suitable learning environment even with these folks there? are you not aware of how many incidents reports are being sent in every single year? do you not know how rapidly the nation is falling behind in comparison with all others on the international level?

About time I didn't give my son a cell phone till he was 18 and responsible and have a part-time job. This is responsible parenting while each child or teens get a great education.

Lol! This is the current policy for my son's school ... "Student personal cell phone use (including texting) is not permitted during the school day (9:10-3:30). Cell phones must be powered off and locked in the child’s locker or kept securely out of sight. All calls must be made through the school office or facilitated by a staff member for safety, tracking and accountability reasons. Teachers may however, at their discretion, allow Personal Electronic Devices, including Smart Phones to be used to accommodate learning during class time, while supervised by a staff member." Can anyone explain to me (aside from the vaping policy) how Lecce's plan is any different?

If I had a cell back in the 90s the teachers would have been caught beating kids.

I agree how important it is for children’s education to ban cell phones in schools and install a pay phone in every classroom.

I graduated highschool in 2015. It was already against the law to smoke indoors... We also never whipped out our cellphones, it was virtually never an issue. I dont understand how much worse the kids of today are. I think this is a grave communication error on the part of the Ontario government. They could have just said they would be investing in counselling and treatment options for those that need it and it would have been far better received. This seems to have added another burden to teachers to deal with to an already overburdened profession.

from a distraction standpoint I agree. from a work standpoint I dont. I mean nowadays all research for stuff is done online thus through cellphones. And your cellphone essentially replaces those expensive graphing calculators too.

Is this for teachers as well? All of my kids say that the teachers are constantly on their phones.

Bravo 👏🏻 God bless you

Does this go for teachers as well???

Finally!! Parents, Let us keep the minimal use of cell phones at home too.

Especially after what the government did to the children during covid, it's about time 😔! The future doesn't look bright ☀️ 😎 without this move!

Great news! It’s good for the kids!

Finally. This is protecting them and our social democracy

Good! But this should have been in place years ago!

Good move. Back to computers for research etc at school

Teachers expect to have kids to have cell phones in class. They ask students to look things up all the time! Its piss poor

I'm confused. I thought this was done 15 years ago. Or was it only done in a few areas?

As always, a great broadcast with a purposeful new regulation. Such amazing people standing behind the prime years for development and the ignition for thriving.

It is absolutely ludicrous that the government is getting involved in this other than to give schools permission to set their own policies. They balk at paying teachers what they're worth or giving them the resources they need, but they're patting themselves in the back for this? They sound like an absent principal poking their head in the door to say, "Listen to your teacher, you!"

I can’t find the word how to say thanks to him for this decision he made as a mother I salute him this is very good decision he made for our kids to make better. I appreciate. Thank you sir

It's about time!