TVDSB hopes to avoid 'power struggle between teachers and students over technology'
The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) is still trying to get a handle on the upcoming classroom restrictions being implemented by the province of Ontario.
“We had a heads up on Friday that there was going to be an announcement on cellphones, but at the end of the day it’s going to be a work in progress,” said Mark Fisher, TVDSB director of Education. “We got the information [Sunday] and we want to launch it in September.”
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced multiple changes to classrooms in the fall of 2024.
Those include banning vaping in schools, spending $30 million to install vape detectors, and other security upgrades in schools.
It also included banning social media on school networks, and both eliminating and limiting cellphone usage.
TVDSB currently has a policy that expects cellphone usage to be for educational purposes only, but unlike other school boards around the province, have never tried to implement a full ban.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) has stated they are happy Lecce plans to support teachers who may be required to take a device away from students, but are worried they may have do more policing than teaching.
“Conceptually, we're supportive of anything that increases the wise use of cellphones,” said Fisher. “Obviously there is a place for technology and instruction under the tutelage of teachers. I have full confidence in our educators, but what we want to avoid is these power struggles between teachers and students over the use of technology.”
Fisher added that he supports the limiting of social media, but acknowledges kids “will find workarounds and be creative.”
“We want to have positive relationships between teachers and students,” said Fisher.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hamas rocket attack from Gaza sets off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv for the first time in months
Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza that set off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv for the first time in months on Sunday in a show of resilience more than seven months into Israel's massive air, sea and ground offensive.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
Indianapolis 500 delayed as strong storm forces fans to evacuate Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The start of the Indianapolis 500 was delayed as a strong storm pushed through the area Sunday, forcing Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials to evacuate about 125,000 fans who had already arrived for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
At least 9 dead in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after severe weather roars across region
Powerful storms killed at least nine people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after obliterating homes and destroying a truck stop where drivers took shelter during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
As Canada warms, infectious disease risks spread north
Cases of Lyme disease have now increased more than 1,000 per cent in a decade as the warming climate pushes the boundaries of a range of pathogens and risk factors northward.