FORT FRANCES — Even though former Minister of Education Stephen Lecce touted his back-to-basics plan as the toughest legislation to get students to listen to their teachers, the rules for Ontario's schools haven't changed.
Simply put, cell phone usage has always been banned in classrooms and smoking in any form has never been allowed on school property under the Ontario Smoke Free Act.
Ontario’s back-to-basics plan adds stricter rules and updated supports to combat a 21st-century problem: technology and its effect on children’s health.
Since its inception, vaping has been praised as a healthier alternative to cigarette smoke for adults.
However, the novelty of handling an electronic smoking device was destined to appeal to tech-savvy teens looking to upgrade their social status among their peers.
In a recent the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) said their catchment area is seeing an increase in vaping among students 15 to 17 years. During the 2022/2023 school year, NWHU found that 29 per cent of students vaped.
According to Heather Campbell, director of education at the Rainy River District School Board, rules around smoking “have been in place for some time, they're just heightened within the updated code of conduct.
“That's everyone. That’s staff, students, parents, visitors to the school, you cannot smoke or use an e-cigarette or tobacco products unless it's tobacco for a traditional offering on school property,” Campbell told Newswatch.
The tougher measures inside the updated code of conduct policy allow educators to confiscate tobacco products and notify the parents immediately.
School boards will also have access to funding streams that create educational tools for students to learn about addiction and create parent involvement committees and students to run local prevention campaigns to help deter vaping.
“There's some excellent changes to that code of conduct that are really welcomed by schools and school communities as we ensure that those places are safe and supportive for students,” said Campbell.
She points out that the updated code of conduct speaks to creating more respectful environments that are safe and inclusive for everyone.
Partnering with School Mental Health Ontario, school boards will develop webinars and resources for parents and students to learn about the adverse effects of vaping and excessive cellphone usage.
On the cellphone ban clause of Ontario’s Back-to-Basics plan, students in kindergarten to Grade 6 will have to turn off their cellphones. Some classrooms may require the student to put their cellphone in a lockbox.
For students in Grades 7 to 12, cell phones must be turned off during class time, but students can use them between classes and on school grounds.
“There are exceptions, of course, if it's for educational purposes,” Campbell explained.
Medical accommodation to devices will be examined on a case-by-case basis. Some students may need access to a device to perform certain tasks. Campbell said parents would need to speak with the school principal to create a support plan.
