The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) says the provincial government’s new policy to limit cell phone use in K-12 classrooms is only a part of a more complex issue and misses the bigger picture.
The Saskatchewan government announced on Tuesday that, starting in the 2024-2025 school year, cell phones will not be permitted during class time in K-12 schools across the province. The government stated the reason for implementing the policy is because cell phones are taking students’ attention away from learning.
STF President Samantha Becotte said teachers have been dealing with cell phones as a distraction for nearly a decade now. She felt the policy missed the mark with larger issues such as classroom size and complexity that can also take away from a student’s learning experience.
“If the government is really dedicated and intent on removing distractions for students, they’re going to start looking at what solutions and real solutions can they implement that are going to start improving the learning experience by addressing the distractions that come with classroom complexity,” Becotte said.
How the policy will be implemented will be left up to each individual school division. Exemptions can be made for students who require the ongoing use of their phone for medical or specific learning needs.
Becotte hoped that more conversations and collaboration would occur with teachers, students, parents and school division administration before the policy came into effect. She is hoping the collaboration will now fall on school divisions as they decide how the policy is implemented.
“I’m hopeful that at the local level within the school divisions, that they do take the time to consult with those who are tasked with implementing it,” Becotte said.
“Also, those who are directly going to be impacted by it, whether it’s students or their parents and families and take a really well-rounded look at what those policies and procedures are going to look like at the local level.”
Becotte also raised concerns about how teachers will enforce the policy, what their roles would be and potential liability when a teacher takes a cell phone away.
“When a student brings a cell phone into the classroom, or if a student leaves a cell phone or a device in their locker and something happens to that, who’s liable and who’s responsible for these devices when they’re being taken from students,” she said.
As for using cell phones as a learning tool, the policy outlines that teachers in Grades 9 to 12 can seek exemptions from the principal or school division for instructional purposes but only on a case-by-case basis and there will be no blanket exemptions for the year.
Becotte said she has seen students use their phones in lieu of devices such as calculators and they can make up for schools that can’t supply laptops or Chromebooks.
“Cell phones have been able to kind of fill the gaps where technology has been lacking in schools, and so that’s also a question that we have, and I know a lot of teachers have. Will they have access to funds to purchase additional technology to ensure that students have the ability to do some or the same type of tasks that they have been doing in the past,” said Becotte.