The Hanover School Division is not planning on following Ontario’s lead by banning cell phones in the classroom.

Earlier this month, Ontario’s Minister of Education announced that the use of cell phones would be unanimously banned from all schools during instructional times starting in the year 2020. Hanover is not planning on following suit.

“It’s an interesting phenomenon that has happened in Ontario,” comments Superintendent Randy Dueck, “but if we were to engage it, we would have to think about it on early, middle, and senior year levels.”

Dueck admits that personal cell phones can be a tenacious distraction, but says they are also tools that can be used responsibly.

“We are always talking to kids about responsible use of technology and teaching them how to good digital citizens and what it means to be a good person online.”

So far, Dueck feels cell phone use has not been a major concern within the division and believes the education on the subject is making a difference.  

At the same time, Dueck says he understands why some schools would ban them, especially when considering that many divisions are now issuing private laptops to their students. Dueck believes laptops are a good alternative because they can perform much of the same functions as phones while having school-determined safety restrictions.

Still, Dueck indicates that no serious conversation about abolishing in-school cell phone use has yet taken place within the division.