Quebec government considering banning cell phones in all schools

Quebec’s education minister is now considering banning cell phones everywhere in schools, not just in the classroom, as is currently the case.

“On [the topic of] screens, there is a strategy. (...) That strategy needs to be renewed. We're thinking about it. It's a very important subject, we recognize that,” said Education Minister Bernard Drainville at a brief press scrum at the Quebec legislature.

“But we didn't wait to act. We banned cell phones in classrooms. Do we need to go further? We're thinking about it, and we'll get back to you,” he added.

It’s a change of rhetoric for the minister. For some time now, he has been under pressure from the Parti Québécois (PQ), which is calling to adopt several new measures to limit young people's screen time.

According to the PQ, the government’s guiding principle on the matter is “the need to get screens out of school as much as possible.”

The opposition party believes it’s essential to take cell phones out of elementary and high schools, including during breaks, as has been the case in France since 2018.

“Quebec schools need to set an example for our young people. Our young people need to get back in touch with non-virtual interactions when they're at school, and that obviously includes during breaks and recess,” said PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon in a press release Tuesday.

The government directive banning cell phone use in class came into effect after the most recent holiday season. It prohibits cell phone use in elementary and high school classrooms, except for specific pedagogical purposes at the request of the teacher.

The PQ believes, however, that more needs to be done. It argues that “not grasping the urgency to act is a mistake” and maintains that the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government is “dragging its feet on this issue.”

Digital age of majority

The PQ is also calling for study of the possibility of imposing a digital age of majority, which could make it compulsory to reach a certain age in order to join a social network.

Once again, the group cited the example of France, where young people under the age of 15 require parental authorization to sign up to a social network.

“The idea of creating a digital age of majority at 14 or 15 for access to social networks should be studied in Quebec,” said the PQ leader, who proposed setting up a parliamentary commission to look into the issue between now and the start of the next school year.

Last week, St-Pierre Plamondon questioned Premier François Legault directly on the subject in the national assembly, and Legault brushed off the idea.

“Well, did I just hear the leader of the PQ tell us, ‘We should ban social media for children under 14?’ Is that what he just said? Did I hear that right? Is that his suggestion?” said Legault.

In the past, Legault has also called on parents to limit their children's screen time.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 7, 2024.