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.
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 …