Some parents hung up on school cellphone ban despite overall positive reception

Nearly two months after Manitoba’s school cellphone ban came into effect, the policy is receiving some mixed signals.

The ban was introduced by the province in August to be implemented in the new academic year. The policy’s goal is to have distraction-free learning in classrooms.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
• Sign up now for daily CTV News Winnipeg newsletters

Students from kindergarten to grade 8 aren’t allowed to use their phones at all during the day, while high schoolers can only dial up during breaks and lunch.

"It helps educators and parents put meaningful restrictions around the use of cellphones when kids are in school at a time that's very important when they really need to be focused on learning,” said Tracy Schmidt, Manitoba’s acting minister of education and early childhood learning.

“The whole cellphone thing, you know, I was OK with it at first, but then I thought, ‘You know what? It’s not even working,’” said Samantha Nyquest.

Nyquest is a parent with two daughters who attend school within the Winnipeg School Division (WSD). She said she worries about her children while they’re at school and wishes she had a way to keep in touch.

“Having the cellphone is just their way of ease, you know, of showing them that they have their way to contact someone if they’re going through a bad situation,” she said.

At St. John’s High School, which holds students in grades 7 to 12, principal Brad Davidson said the new rule has been well-received.

"What we found is that classrooms are far more engaged in what's going on, without the ability to pull out your phone every 30 seconds to check and see what you're missing,” Davidson said. “Students are engaging in conversations and engaging with their fellow classmates."

The WSD said it has received mostly positive feedback across the board.

"It's gone a little bit more analogue to just slow that pace down,” said WSD superintendent Matt Henderson. “And also, there are more face-to-face interactions."

When it comes to addressing concerns like Nyquest’s, Henderson said there are solutions that wouldn’t involve cellphone use.

"If any family wants to get a hold of their child at school, they can certainly just call the school,” he said.

But Nyquest doesn’t think that’s enough.

“They need to bring cellphones back,” she said.

The province told CTV News it won’t be pulling the plug on the policy anytime soon.

“I don’t see it going anywhere,” said Schmidt.

However, Schmidt said the government is open to reviewing the conditions of the ban based on the response it receives from school divisions and families.

Other school divisions said they’ve also received positive feedback since the policy was put in place. Last week, the Louis Riel School Division published the results from a survey issued to parents, staff and students, the majority of which supported the policy in place.

Starting Tuesday, the Pembina Trails School Division is giving families a two-week window to provide their feedback on the policy online.