New cellphone bans in effect for Calgary schools as kids head back to class

It was back to reality for thousands of students across Alberta on Thursday with one big change — the first day of school and first day without cellphones in the classroom.

The province announced earlier this year that cellphones and personal devices will no longer be allowed in Alberta classrooms during the 2024-25 school year.

Effective this fall, all personal devices for students between kindergarten and Grade 12 will need to be turned off and out of sight during class time.

The Calgary Board of Education is not even permitting phones during breaks. The catholic school board’s rules differ slightly with students in grades 7 to 9 given the option to use their devices before school, at lunch, or after school — that option extends to spares for high school students.

Online safety expert Paul Davis says it’s going to be a learning curve for both students and staff, but thinks the changes will prove to be positive and will result in better grades and less bullying.

“Allow them to be educated by the teacher, who understands how to address educational concerns and behavioural issues,” he says. “The phone is a distraction.”

“The kids will leave school with the gift of education, making eye contact, reading facial expressions and body language — these are key components for success in life.”

The province says there will be exceptions made for students who use mobile devices for health and medical needs.

Social media has been completely banned on school premises for all grades and school boards.

The changes came after nearly 70,000 people took part in an online survey weighing in on school cellphone and social media policies.

Up until now, Alberta school authorities set their own policies on how students use phones in schools. The province now follows the lead of Quebec, Ontario and B.C., where governments had already announced or implemented cellphone restrictions in schools.

With files from The Canadian Press