Despite a cellphone ban brought in by the provincial government for the new school year, some Newmarket and Aurora students say the devices are still being used in classrooms without consequence.
Grade 12 Newmarket High School student Veronica Tu said she uses her phone discreetly to listen to music in class with her earphones when she writes notes for an assignment.
She tries not to make it obvious because she fears it will be confiscated, but she has seen some students using their phones openly, especially in classes where they think teachers don’t care.
“It happens a lot with teachers that students seem to respect a little bit less,” said Tu. “I feel like they don’t actively listen in class.”
The provincial protocol clarifies when students can and cannot use their phones. However, Grade 12 Newmarket High School student Bosco Ding said he is continuing to use his phone even when he knows he shouldn’t.
“It is distracting,” Ding admitted. “I have definitely not paid attention to a class because I was on my phone.”
Ding said he views social media, texts friends, plays games, and starts searches on Google in class because he is “bored out of my mind.”
He said teachers are not enforcing the ban at all.
“In the classes I’ve been in, there’s no real enforcement,” said Ding. “Realistically, nothing is stopping you except for the threat that they would take it away, which doesn’t really happen.”
Students in kindergarten to Grade 6 must keep their phones on silent and out of sight throughout the school day,while students grades 7 to 12 must do the same but only during instructional time, unless explicitly directed otherwise by the educator.
Grade 10 Aurora High School student Andres Macias said the ban has yet to be enforced consistently.
“The school I go to, it’s a lot less strict around this area,” said Macias, 15. “If they see it, you might get it confiscated. Some teachers actually let you listen to music when you’re doing activities.”
Jude Abass, also a 15-year-old attending Aurora High, agreed the ban isn't being strictly enforced currently, and added it's more of an “annoyance.”
Abbas said he has heard from friends attending Toronto schools that the rule is being more stringently imposed there.
He added that he thought phones should not be confiscated for the whole day, citing privacy concerns.
Macias said one teacher confiscated his phone during a math class.
“Depending on who your teacher is, they’ll either give you a warning, they’ll take away your phone, or they’ll give you a ban.”
“On the first day they all talked about it, but overall, everything’s pretty much the same.”
Grade 12 Sacred Heart Catholic Secondary School student James Shields said he uses his phone to take pictures of the board in class.
He has seen many students on their phones despite the ban.
“The farther you get into the back of the class, the more people are on their phones,” said Shields.
York Catholic District School Board said if students use cellphones, they will be confiscated and stored for a parent to retrieve.
“Further progressive discipline will be applied at the discretion of the principal and vice-principal if cellphone use during instructional time continues,” said Mark Brosens, senior manager for brand, marketing, and communications
When asked if there have been reports of students using their cellphones and if there have been any disciplinary actions, the board declined to provide any information.
“Any progressive disciplinary matters involving students are private,” said Brosens.
York Region District School Board sent a letter to parents about cellphone use in school.
“Our board had a strong policy foundation that indicated that personal mobile devices were to be used for educational purposes only and at the direction of an educator in the classroom,” said Licinio Miguelo, executive officer of corporate communications for York Region District School Board.
The board did not respond to a request for comment on reports of students using their cellphones in class and if there have been any disciplinary actions.
— With files from Bailey Moreton
