Alberta will ban cell phones in K-12 classrooms starting this fall

CALGARY — Alberta is moving to ban cell phones in kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms starting in the fall.

Alberta Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said Monday that cellphones help with learning, but they can also be a distraction and lead to cyberbullying.

He said there will be exceptions for students who use the phones for health needs, such as monitoring blood sugar levels or for specialized learning.

Otherwise, personal devices must be turned off and stored out of sight during class hours. School internet networks will also have to limit access to social media, Nicolaides said.

Alberta previously allowed school boards to set a patchwork of cellphone rules amid growing concerns from teachers and parents that the devices were disrupting learning.

“The risks to students’ mental well-being and academic success are real, and we need to act now to combat these effects,” Nicolaides said.

Alberta follows the example of Quebec, Ontario and BC, where governments have announced or implemented cell phone restrictions in schools.

The Alberta government said it surveyed more than 68,000 parents, teachers, students and principals about cell phone use in schools. About 90% said they were concerned and called for it to be limited.

How the new rules are implemented and enforced will be up to school boards, Nicolaides said, but those policies will have to fall in line with minimum provincial standards.

“Parents and guardians should stay tuned to local school authorities over the coming months for further details,” he said.

In May, members of the Alberta Teachers’ Association voted in favor of restricting smartphones in classrooms during instructional hours.

President Jason Schilling said in a statement posted on social media that the association is encouraged by this first step, but cautioned that there is still work to do.

“There are still many lingering questions about how this new ministerial order will be instituted and how teachers and school leaders will be supported when it is rolled out this fall,” Schilling said.

Two general provincial organizations welcomed the change.

“Standards for the use of mobile devices during the instructional program, which recognize exceptions and the autonomy of school authorities, will ensure a focus on learning,” Kerry Bodell, president of the Alberta School Boards Association, said in a statement.

Andrea Holowka, president of the College of Alberta School Superintendents, said, “Respecting the flexibility of school authorities to meet the unique learning needs of students within a regulatory framework is practical and much appreciated.”

Opposition NDP education critic Amanda Chapman said they are cautiously optimistic the change will balance learning with access to technology.

“What we haven’t seen from the government today is a commitment to students learning about digital literacy,” Chapman said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 17, 2024.

Lisa Johnson, Canadian Press