'Distracting kids': Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his government changing cellphone rules in schools and here's what parents and students should know

The Ontario government says it is cracking down on cellphone use in classrooms.

The essential cellphone ban was announced Sunday by the government and will see students in kindergarten to Grade 6 be required to keep phones on silent and “out of sight” for the entire school day, unless explicitly permitted by an educator, while students in Grades 7 to 12, not be permitted to use cellphones during class time “unless explicitly directed by the educator,” the Ontario government said in a news release.

“We have heard loud and clear from parents and teachers alike that cellphones in classrooms are distracting kids from learning,” said Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education, in a news release. “Our government is introducing the toughest policy in Canada to tackle this issue by cracking down on cellphone usage during class time, as well as banning vaping in all schools. When it comes to cellphones, our policy is ‘out of sight and out of mind,’ as we get students back to the basics by restoring focus, safety and common sense back in Ontario schools.”

Regarding vaping, the new rules reveal students must hand over any vapes or cigarettes they're caught carrying, after which school staff will notify parents, according to the government.

Social media websites will be removed from all school networks and devices, and report cards will include comment on students’ distraction levels in class, the Ontario government said, adding teachers will get mandatory training and there will be “new supports” for students and parents.

These changes come a few weeks after four Ontario school boards launched lawsuits seeking $4.5 billion in damages  from social media giants Snapchat, TikTok and Meta — which owns Facebook and Instagram — accusing them of deliberately hurting students, interfering with their learning and harming their mental health, leaving educators to “manage the fallout,” according to the Toronto Star.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the lawsuits “nonsense” and instead wants the school board to “focus on the kids.”

Ontario chief medical officer of health said vaping is having a negative impact on students.

“Ontario is seeing a growing number of youth in Grades 7 through 12 report using vaping products that contain and emit many toxic substances. These products can affect the respiratory, immune and cardiovascular systems, and nicotine in these products is particularly harmful to youth brain development,” he said in a statement. “Removing vaping products from Ontario schools will help protect our students from these preventable threats.”

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation has already spoken out on the changes, stating on X that “This should actually be a consultation, talking to students, talking to teachers … to come up with a plan together.”