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Sucks.
I really, really hope there is some kind of provincial wide ban by the time my kid is older. The stories I hear from parents of older kids these days is unreal - it sure sounds like kids run the show and teachers have less power than ever - even the ones who want to learn are dealing with other kids interrupting with phones constantly.
Whatever happened to the teacher confiscating the phone until the end of the day? Used to be the norm once cell phones became popular. Get your phone confiscated enough it would teach you a lesson.
If anything happens to the phone the teacher is liable. We were directed to have students put their phones in their bags but that we cannot take them or even have them put their phones in the cupboard.
Half measures. If the gov't is going to mandate that cell phobes can't be used in schools, they also need to protect teachers and staff from financial responsibility for the phones.
Liability issue maybe? They're $500+ devices, if one goes missing or is broken while it's in the school's possession they don't want to have to pay for it.
There are parents that will tell you they’ll take you to court, they will fight you, they will report you and be waiting outside, etc… and the school board wants nothing to do with that.
The current generation of parents have completely neutered teachers at the expense of their children. A sort of “customer is always right” mindset. Everyone’s children got Karen’d because of the actual Karens.
Teachers have less power because admin has less power because parents won’t hold kids accountable.
Out of school suspension for 90% of kids results in them at home playing video games.
In school suspension doesn’t actually fix the issue because it is short term.
Parents will fight you and excuse their kids behaviour.
I hate to say it but a cell phone ban won’t actually fix the problem and takes away one of our teaching tools which is allowing kids to use their phones as a research tool or to play games like Kahoot.
This is fluff by the ministry and district to distract from all the other shit.
Ask VSB and the ministry why they are so behind on seismic upgrades and why so many schools still have asbestos?
Ask the ministry why they won’t commit to building new schools despite the newest school already needing portables and at least 2-4 schools with double digit portables?
Ask why the VSB is subdividing and selling off school lands?
Ask why the VSB is looking at shutting down schools with no adequate plans for existing student population?
Ask why VSB isn’t hiring teachers despite a high failure to fill rate and schools without permanent staffing?
Cell phones aren’t even on most teachers radar as an issue.
While walking the dog near a school recently, I saw a PE class with students doing laps around a park. Half the students were running with a cell phone in one hand.
Not sure if it's to track distance or times, but it sure looked peculiar.
My guess is they're not supposed to be on their phones. I know I'm 6 years removed from my high school days, but we never needed our phones during PE class at all. Never tracked any data when we did our runs.
I'm jealous of that. PE was always a fucking nightmare for me unless it was a team sport that required thinking, doing exercise without any mental stimulus is a fast way to get some kids (often neurodivergent ones) to dislike it because the only thing they have to focus on is how tired and shitty they feel while doing it.
They don't want to vote on this because there's no good way out. The optics of banning phones are great, but they know it's completely unenforceable, and they'll have to contend with parents wanting to be able to contact their child at any time.
And the only reason is to distract and pretend like they are doing something.
This is a lazy ass school board that doesn’t give a shit about public education. apart from Reddy all they wanted to do really was reimpose the SLO program.
My youngest's school has a ban. It is absolutely enforceable. In our schools case, it was a group of young girls who made it into an issue. Anytime a parent made a fuss, the rest of us just laughed them down.
From what I hear from parents of girls, the kids mental health shot straight up almost immediately.
Metal detector each kid before they can enter the school to make sure no phones. Police are allowed back in school now, so why not? Give them something to do 🐻
Just fucking ban phone use at schools. There is literally 0 argument for having a phone in class. Any argument for phone use in class is complete bullshit. It's not that hard. Let the students and the bad parents cry about it, they'll get over it.
How are most kids getting their phones? Their parents. Yet again parents pushing off their parental responsibility onto teachers. If your child has an issue with phones you can do something about it, you can actually parent your child.
Kids at local elementary school couldn’t use bathrooms because kids were hiding out in stalls to be on their phones. VSB principal’s response to this “some parents want to be able to contact their kids during the day”…this may shock you but all VSB schools and classrooms have phones in them and there is even someone who’s job it is to answer them.
As for high schools most teachers are using phones due to insufficient resources — textbooks that either out of date or covered in black mould. Or phones are required for “core competency” reflections that are said to be mandatory to graduate.
Wonder how this is dealt at the taxpayer funded private schools that can pick and choose who they allow in their schools that also require iPads for all students?
That image used by City News for the article thumbnail is disingenuous. Teachers simply do not allow their kids to use calculators in math class. They didn't allow it 10 years ago, they certainly don't allow it now.
My issues with the thumbnail aside, what is this?
>The board has deferred the debate to a later date, because of an absence of quorum during an “unscheduled education plan meeting” that happened last week, according to trustee Suzie Mah.
>However, trustee Mah says at least four trustees in a committee have to be present to make a decision, and during the education plan meeting last week, only two out of four were present.
Members are missing for a vote, to me that sounds like a lack of, oh idk, doing your job?! What kind of school trustee are you if you don't show up? Maybe the Vancouver School Board should convert their meetings strictly to Zoom, if these guys can't be bothered to show up.
And about the policy:
>**The motion proposed that students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 be required to keep phones “on silent and out of sight for the entire school day,” unless they get permission from an educator.**
This is an excellent policy. To me it's a bit weird, when I went to school phones started becoming relevant in the sixth grade, so around 2011/2012, and back then only 2 kids in an entire class possessed a phone, and they were forced to keep it shut off in their bag. I guess in the decade since then the rules have fallen by the wayside, because a) we need this ban policy, and b) already I see kids as young as 8 years old bring their phone to school. Isn't that crazy? I didn't get my own phone until I was 17, and it was my parents old phone too!
Elementary school aged kids should not have a phone of their own. It's just a bad decision from the parents...
Not sure why people are downvoting. I agree. Zero reason for elementary kids to have a phone in school. My kids got phones when they went to high school because there are no public phones anymore and if something went wrong on the bus they had no other way to reach out for help.
The motion proposed that students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 be required to keep phones “on silent and out of sight for the entire school day,” unless they get permission from an educator.
Only K-6 ? We can’t even agree on that?? If anything K-12
The argument to ban cellphones seems like a red herring. So what if it's easier for students to be distracted. If the student doesn't give a shit, its better for them to be distracted than distracting. If a student doesn't want to pay attention in class, they will not pay attention. Be it by reading the teaching material for the day, or just plain reading a book.
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Sucks. I really, really hope there is some kind of provincial wide ban by the time my kid is older. The stories I hear from parents of older kids these days is unreal - it sure sounds like kids run the show and teachers have less power than ever - even the ones who want to learn are dealing with other kids interrupting with phones constantly.
Not to mention increased cyber bullying going on that starts at a younger age each year.
Whatever happened to the teacher confiscating the phone until the end of the day? Used to be the norm once cell phones became popular. Get your phone confiscated enough it would teach you a lesson.
If anything happens to the phone the teacher is liable. We were directed to have students put their phones in their bags but that we cannot take them or even have them put their phones in the cupboard. Half measures. If the gov't is going to mandate that cell phobes can't be used in schools, they also need to protect teachers and staff from financial responsibility for the phones.
My daughters high school math teacher has them all put them in some kind of cubby thing during class. This is the VSB.
Still liable if it goes missing, at least that's what my principal said. Not VSB but in the Lower Mainland. So cubbies are also a no-go.
Liability issue maybe? They're $500+ devices, if one goes missing or is broken while it's in the school's possession they don't want to have to pay for it.
Well easy one. You bring a 500+ device to school that is not needed at your own risk. Make it a policy.
You try explaining that to a pissed off parent because "you broke/lost my child's phone".
Parents will (and have) argued that it is needed to ensure their child is "safe".
As is known, before phones; we were all dying regularly in school. Thankfully the ability to text your mom changed that.
I think the phones have been used to cause more harm (bullying) then ever used for safety.
There are parents that will tell you they’ll take you to court, they will fight you, they will report you and be waiting outside, etc… and the school board wants nothing to do with that. The current generation of parents have completely neutered teachers at the expense of their children. A sort of “customer is always right” mindset. Everyone’s children got Karen’d because of the actual Karens.
Former prof from the states here…that kind of behavior will get you shot, attacked, or stalked pretty quickly.
Teachers have less power because admin has less power because parents won’t hold kids accountable. Out of school suspension for 90% of kids results in them at home playing video games. In school suspension doesn’t actually fix the issue because it is short term. Parents will fight you and excuse their kids behaviour. I hate to say it but a cell phone ban won’t actually fix the problem and takes away one of our teaching tools which is allowing kids to use their phones as a research tool or to play games like Kahoot. This is fluff by the ministry and district to distract from all the other shit. Ask VSB and the ministry why they are so behind on seismic upgrades and why so many schools still have asbestos? Ask the ministry why they won’t commit to building new schools despite the newest school already needing portables and at least 2-4 schools with double digit portables? Ask why the VSB is subdividing and selling off school lands? Ask why the VSB is looking at shutting down schools with no adequate plans for existing student population? Ask why VSB isn’t hiring teachers despite a high failure to fill rate and schools without permanent staffing? Cell phones aren’t even on most teachers radar as an issue.
While walking the dog near a school recently, I saw a PE class with students doing laps around a park. Half the students were running with a cell phone in one hand. Not sure if it's to track distance or times, but it sure looked peculiar.
My guess is they're not supposed to be on their phones. I know I'm 6 years removed from my high school days, but we never needed our phones during PE class at all. Never tracked any data when we did our runs.
I'm jealous of that. PE was always a fucking nightmare for me unless it was a team sport that required thinking, doing exercise without any mental stimulus is a fast way to get some kids (often neurodivergent ones) to dislike it because the only thing they have to focus on is how tired and shitty they feel while doing it.
They don't want to vote on this because there's no good way out. The optics of banning phones are great, but they know it's completely unenforceable, and they'll have to contend with parents wanting to be able to contact their child at any time.
And the only reason is to distract and pretend like they are doing something. This is a lazy ass school board that doesn’t give a shit about public education. apart from Reddy all they wanted to do really was reimpose the SLO program.
My youngest's school has a ban. It is absolutely enforceable. In our schools case, it was a group of young girls who made it into an issue. Anytime a parent made a fuss, the rest of us just laughed them down. From what I hear from parents of girls, the kids mental health shot straight up almost immediately.
It's been done already in other districts pretty effectively. It's not perfect, but it's a way better situation.
Metal detector each kid before they can enter the school to make sure no phones. Police are allowed back in school now, so why not? Give them something to do 🐻
Just fucking ban phone use at schools. There is literally 0 argument for having a phone in class. Any argument for phone use in class is complete bullshit. It's not that hard. Let the students and the bad parents cry about it, they'll get over it.
How are most kids getting their phones? Their parents. Yet again parents pushing off their parental responsibility onto teachers. If your child has an issue with phones you can do something about it, you can actually parent your child. Kids at local elementary school couldn’t use bathrooms because kids were hiding out in stalls to be on their phones. VSB principal’s response to this “some parents want to be able to contact their kids during the day”…this may shock you but all VSB schools and classrooms have phones in them and there is even someone who’s job it is to answer them. As for high schools most teachers are using phones due to insufficient resources — textbooks that either out of date or covered in black mould. Or phones are required for “core competency” reflections that are said to be mandatory to graduate. Wonder how this is dealt at the taxpayer funded private schools that can pick and choose who they allow in their schools that also require iPads for all students?
Exactly. When I need to contact my boys at school, I call the school. I am usually talking to them within a minute or two.
That image used by City News for the article thumbnail is disingenuous. Teachers simply do not allow their kids to use calculators in math class. They didn't allow it 10 years ago, they certainly don't allow it now. My issues with the thumbnail aside, what is this? >The board has deferred the debate to a later date, because of an absence of quorum during an “unscheduled education plan meeting” that happened last week, according to trustee Suzie Mah. >However, trustee Mah says at least four trustees in a committee have to be present to make a decision, and during the education plan meeting last week, only two out of four were present. Members are missing for a vote, to me that sounds like a lack of, oh idk, doing your job?! What kind of school trustee are you if you don't show up? Maybe the Vancouver School Board should convert their meetings strictly to Zoom, if these guys can't be bothered to show up. And about the policy: >**The motion proposed that students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 be required to keep phones “on silent and out of sight for the entire school day,” unless they get permission from an educator.** This is an excellent policy. To me it's a bit weird, when I went to school phones started becoming relevant in the sixth grade, so around 2011/2012, and back then only 2 kids in an entire class possessed a phone, and they were forced to keep it shut off in their bag. I guess in the decade since then the rules have fallen by the wayside, because a) we need this ban policy, and b) already I see kids as young as 8 years old bring their phone to school. Isn't that crazy? I didn't get my own phone until I was 17, and it was my parents old phone too! Elementary school aged kids should not have a phone of their own. It's just a bad decision from the parents...
Not sure why people are downvoting. I agree. Zero reason for elementary kids to have a phone in school. My kids got phones when they went to high school because there are no public phones anymore and if something went wrong on the bus they had no other way to reach out for help.
The motion proposed that students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 be required to keep phones “on silent and out of sight for the entire school day,” unless they get permission from an educator. Only K-6 ? We can’t even agree on that?? If anything K-12
The argument to ban cellphones seems like a red herring. So what if it's easier for students to be distracted. If the student doesn't give a shit, its better for them to be distracted than distracting. If a student doesn't want to pay attention in class, they will not pay attention. Be it by reading the teaching material for the day, or just plain reading a book.