Headline: Confusion among Alberta Teachers as New Cellphone Ban Looms
The president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, Jason Schilling, has raised concerns about the implementation of new policies that will ban cellphone use in classrooms starting this fall, leaving some teachers puzzled about how to comply with the rules.
With only two weeks left before most kindergarten to Grade 12 students return to school, Schilling highlighted the discrepancies between the new provincial standards coming into effect on September 1 and the deadline of January 1 for school divisions to establish their own policies and procedures.
Schilling expressed concerns about teachers having to confiscate expensive phones without clear guidelines in place, stating, “When I talk to my colleagues about this, they are hesitating about doing that without any kind of proper policies or rules and procedures put in place before they start.”
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced in June that personal devices must be turned off and stored out of sight during class time, with exceptions for specialized learning or medical needs. Nicolaides emphasized that while the ban will be enforced in the fall, the specifics will be left to local school authorities to finalize by the new year.
Despite the support for restricting smartphones during instructional time from the teachers’ association, Schilling criticized the timeline and suggested that having all rules in place by January 1 would provide clarity for everyone involved.
Some Alberta school divisions have indicated readiness to implement the new ban as soon as school starts. Joanne Anderson from the Calgary Board of Education stated that the ban will be in effect on the first day of classes, August 29, with further information to be provided to staff and families ahead of time.
Veronica Jubinville of the Edmonton Public School Board mentioned that many schools in the division already have cellphone rules in place, and the government’s requirements will either reinforce those or create new standards for the upcoming school year.
Dave Driscoll, superintendent for the Palliser School Division in southern Alberta, acknowledged the significant change in direction due to the new policy but assured that procedures will be in place for the start of the school year.
As the province moves to crack down on cellphones in schools, aligning with similar restrictions in other Canadian provinces, the implementation of these new policies continues to spark discussions and adjustments among educators and school authorities.
The president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, Jason Schilling, has raised concerns about the implementation of new policies that will ban cellphone use in classrooms starting this fall, leaving some teachers puzzled about how to comply with the rules.
With only two weeks left before most kindergarten to Grade 12 students return to school, Schilling highlighted the discrepancies between the new provincial standards coming into effect on September 1 and the deadline of January 1 for school divisions to establish their own policies and procedures.
Schilling expressed concerns about teachers having to confiscate expensive phones without clear guidelines in place, stating, “When I talk to my colleagues about this, they are hesitating about doing that without any kind of proper policies or rules and procedures put in place before they start.”
Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides announced in June that personal devices must be turned off and stored out of sight during class time, with exceptions for specialized learning or medical needs. Nicolaides emphasized that while the ban will be enforced in the fall, the specifics will be left to local school authorities to finalize by the new year.
Despite the support for restricting smartphones during instructional time from the teachers’ association, Schilling criticized the timeline and suggested that having all rules in place by January 1 would provide clarity for everyone involved.
Some Alberta school divisions have indicated readiness to implement the new ban as soon as school starts. Joanne Anderson from the Calgary Board of Education stated that the ban will be in effect on the first day of classes, August 29, with further information to be provided to staff and families ahead of time.
Veronica Jubinville of the Edmonton Public School Board mentioned that many schools in the division already have cellphone rules in place, and the government’s requirements will either reinforce those or create new standards for the upcoming school year.
Dave Driscoll, superintendent for the Palliser School Division in southern Alberta, acknowledged the significant change in direction due to the new policy but assured that procedures will be in place for the start of the school year.
As the province moves to crack down on cellphones in schools, aligning with similar restrictions in other Canadian provinces, the implementation of these new policies continues to spark discussions and adjustments among educators and school authorities.
