The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) says the provincial government’s new policy to restrict cell phone use in grades K-12 is only part of a more complex problem and misses the bigger picture.

The Saskatchewan government announced Tuesday that starting in the 2024-2025 school year, cell phones will no longer be allowed during class in K-12 schools across the province. The government cited cell phones as distracting students’ attention from learning as the reason for introducing the rule.

STF President Samantha Becotte said teachers have grappled with cellphones as a distraction for nearly a decade and felt the policy misses the mark because larger issues such as the size and complexity of classrooms can also impact students’ learning experience.

“If the government is truly committed to eliminating distractions for students, it needs to look at what solutions and real solutions it can implement to improve the learning experience by eliminating the distractions that come with the complexity of teaching,” Becotte said.

How the policy is implemented is up to individual school departments. Exceptions can be made for students who need to use their phones on an ongoing basis for medical or special learning reasons.

Becotte hoped that there would be further discussions and increased cooperation with teachers, students, parents and school administration before the policy comes into force. She hopes that cooperation will now be transferred to the school departments that will decide on the implementation of the policy.

“I am confident that school districts at the local level will take the time to consult with those tasked with implementation,” Becotte said.

“In addition, those who are directly affected, whether it’s students or their parents and families, need to take a really comprehensive look at what those policies and procedures are going to look like at the local level.”

Becotte also raised concerns about how teachers will enforce the policy, what role they will play in it and what liability they might face if a teacher takes away their cellphone.

“If a student brings a cell phone into the classroom, or if a student leaves a cell phone or other device in their locker and something happens to it, who is liable and responsible for those devices if they are taken away from the students,” she said.

Regarding the use of cell phones as teaching tools, the policy states that teachers in grades 9 through 12 may request an exemption from the principal or school division for instructional purposes, but only on a case-by-case basis, and that there are no blanket exemptions for the entire school year.

Becotte said she has seen students use their phones instead of devices like calculators, which can make up for the shortage in schools that cannot provide laptops or Chromebooks.

“Cell phones have been able to fill the gaps that schools lacked in technology. That’s a question we’re asking ourselves, and I know a lot of teachers are asking themselves that question. Will they have the financial means to buy additional technology so students can do some or the same tasks they’ve been doing before,” Becotte said.