Quebec committee recommends full ban on cellphones, electronic devices at schools

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 22, 2025 6:37 PM EDT | Last Updated: 14 minutes ago

A peculiar provincial committee is recommending that Quebec afloat prohibition cellphones, headphones and different idiosyncratic physics devices successful each superior and secondary schools starting adjacent schoolhouse year.

This was the sole proposal successful the committee's 15-page interim report, released Tuesday. The committee, which includes elected officials from the 4 parties represented successful the National Assembly, was established successful June 2024 by the Quebec authorities to analyse however screens and societal media impact the wellness and improvement of young people.

The interim study presents preliminary findings based connected consultations with experts, educators, parents and students.

The committee is recommending that Quebec prohibit the usage of cellphones by the commencement of the 2025-26 world twelvemonth for the full schoolhouse time connected each schoolhouse grounds, including outdoor areas. 

The report says determination whitethorn be specific exceptions erstwhile instrumentality usage is necessary, peculiarly when a student's aesculapian information justifies it, for acquisition purposes acceptable by teachers oregon to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities oregon learning difficulties.

Quebec has already banned cellphones successful classrooms, joining a increasing database of provinces with akin policies. That measurement took effect connected Jan. 1, 2024.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville expressed involvement successful a implicit prohibition connected cellphones and physics devices back successful January. 

Following the tabling of the study successful the National Assembly connected Tuesday, Drainville said helium welcomed it "with large involvement and openness," noting that galore schools person already implemented rules restricting devices named successful the report.

"The determination volition beryllium made rapidly due to the fact that students, parents, schools and unit request clarity up of the adjacent schoolhouse year," helium said.

However, Québec Solidaire is urging the curate to hold the implementation of the projected ban.

"We are successful favour of a full prohibition connected cellphones successful schools, but for it to beryllium successful, it indispensable not beryllium rushed astatine the commencement of the 2025 schoolhouse year," said MNA Alexandre Leduc successful a statement.

The committee's last report, which volition see each of its recommendations, is expected by May 30. It volition explore several areas of the integer scenery for young people:

• The magnitude of clip young radical walk connected screens.
• Supervision measures astatine schoolhouse and online.
• Access to societal media and video games.
• Cyberbullying and explicit content.
• Minors' entree to pornography.
• Addictive features successful apps.
• Advertising targeted astatine children.

Provincial cellphone regulations successful schools of varying degree have been cropping up crossed the country, but not without concern.

"A batch of teachers invited that determination volition beryllium less distractions successful the classroom, but galore teachers are disquieted astir the policing of it falling connected them," Joel Westheimer, a prof of ideology and acquisition astatine the University of Ottawa, told CBC News past summer.

He said many teachers are disquieted astir the realities of enforcing rules connected cellphone usage which is some pervasive and addictive.