Cellphones could be banned in all Quebec elementary and high schools by the fall

Cellphones could be completely banned within elementary and secondary schools starting next school year.

This is what the Special Commission on the Impacts of Screens and Social Media on the Health and Development of Young People recommended in its interim report tabled Tuesday.

The Commission recommends the Quebec government ban cellphone use everywhere on school grounds, throughout the entire school year until the end of classes. Headphones and other mobile devices, including those for video games, would also be covered by the ban.

Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville said the government welcomed the publication of the report “with great openness and great interest” but did not commit to implementing the recommendations.

“We will complete our work and we will get back to you as quickly as possible,” Drainville said. “We are aware of the fact that if we want to implement a possible ban in schools for September, the decision must be made quickly and the decision will be taken quickly.

“I will make a decision quickly because the students, the parents, the schools, the school staff, they need to know in preparation for the next school year.”

Rapport Commission Spéciale Sur Les Impacts Des Écrans Et Des Réseaux Sociaux Sur La Santé Et Le Développem... by CityNewsToronto on Scribd

Certain exceptions could apply, notably when the use of a mobile device is justified by a student’s health condition or for the special needs of a student with a disability or a learning disability. Use would also be permitted for educational purposes.

It should be noted that cell phones have already been banned in Quebec school classrooms since the beginning of 2024.

The Commission proposes the terms and conditions governing the ban on cell phones in schools be included in the provisions of the Education Act and the Act Respecting Private Education.

The members of the Commission began their work in September 2024 during an initial phase of special consultations and public hearings. In total, nearly 70 specialists and organizations were heard during the two rounds of consultations, and 500 elementary and secondary school students were consulted for their opinions.

The final report, including all of the Commission’s recommendations, is expected to be submitted by May 30.

–With files from La Presse Canadienne