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Classes have resumed across British Columbia, but elementary school students are being asked to turn off or put away their cell phones.
Starting Tuesday morning, school districts must implement policies regulating cell phone use in the classroom.
The policy will vary by school district, the British Columbia government said, stating when students can use phones at school, while also taking into account the use of devices for accessibility and medical needs.
Parents outside Fraser River Middle School in New Westminster largely supported the measure, saying phones are a distraction for children during class.
While some children agreed with the ban and restrictions, others were less enthusiastic, and not always because of their lack of access to social media and their favorite apps.
Some students who say English is not their native language report that mobile phones provide them with a quick and easy translation function in the classroom.
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The amendments require that school cell phone policies address accessibility needs and accommodations, such as translators, alternative communication tools, text-to-speech and speech-to-text programs, timers, calendars and reminder software, as well as health needs.
Mark Pearmain, head of Surrey schools, says provisions are also being made for Surrey pupils.
“Digital devices are useful for some of our students in terms of translation and equal opportunities for them,” he said.
“So we want to make sure that kids can use them when they need them.”
In primary school, cell phones must be turned off from bell to bell, Pearmain says, while in secondary school, students are allowed to use them as a learning tool, with teacher permission, even when not in class.
“We realize that for kids, this is part of their lives. They schedule their time with their digital devices,” he said.
“They work, they communicate with some of their employers. So we have to make sure that there is a balance.”
Minister of Education and Childcare Rachna Singh hopes the new rules will ensure that students can study successfully and safely.
“The policy is specific and tailored to the current size of the school’s student population,” she said Tuesday.
“So it’s not one policy for all. It’s a policy that different school districts would have, but the focus is on students having access to education and being able to focus on education the way they should be able to.”
And while phones may be off, school speed zones are back in effect. Drivers must reduce their speed to 30 kilometers per hour in school zones on school days.
“You can expect to see police officers and volunteers closely monitoring the speed of motorists in these areas,” said Sergeant Andrew Leaver of the New Westminster Police Department.
“We encourage everyone to just slow down and take those extra seconds to make sure everyone is safe.”
Police are also encouraging pedestrians to stay on marked crosswalks and parents to use designated drop-off and pick-up areas at schools before and after school.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Lasia Kretzel
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