FCSS-FESC Statement on Cellphone Crackdown in Ontario

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toronto, ON — As the year-end approaches, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has proposed sweeping restrictions on student cell phone usage. TDSB Chair Rachel Chernos Lin stated that there was broad parental support for such a move. As Canada’s largest school board, If a formal resolution is passed, this will likely set a precedent for other provinces’ education systems and their policies regarding cellphone usage.

Limiting students' freedom to access their mobile devices may impede personal autonomy and result in the loss of valuable tools for learning and communication. To ensure all parties impacted are respected, a policy regarding cellphone usage should be implemented on a school board case-by-case basis, rather than as a sweeping policy affecting all schools in Ontario.

The FCSS-FESC stands in solidarity with students and calls for school boards to appropriately value our students and the overwhelming benefits a mobile device can bring to our youth. We believe that the status quo already outlines sufficient general regulations for cellphone use, which is crucial in addressing the needs and concerns of all students — pedagogical or otherwise.

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Founded in 2012, the Federation of Canadian Secondary Students / Fédération des élèves du secondaire au Canada (FCSS-FESC) is an entirely non-partisan youth-led charity that strives to advocate for students in secondary schools and CÉGEPs across Canada.

Media Contact:

Frank Li, Chief Communications Officer
frank.li@fcss-fesc.ca / +1 (289) 408-8600 ext. 104