Minister Drainville prohibits cell phone and establishes the “you” in schools

As of the next school year, in the fall, cellular will be prohibited at all times and in all places in Quebec schools, according to a regulation including the minister of education, Bernard Drainville, traced the main lines on Thursday.

At a press conference on Thursday, Bernard Drainville said that primary and secondary students, whether registered with the public or private, will have to leave their cell phone, their headphones and their personal mobile devices. And this, from the start to the end of the lessons, including during the breaks.

Ces Additional, strong measuresare intended to strengthen respect and civics in Quebec schoolsa dit M. Drainville.

It is necessary to act when gestures of violence are made, and it is also necessary to act in prevention.

With these measures, the government of François Legault continues to establish his prevention plan for violence and intimidation, which he launched in October 2023.

The prohibition of cell phone at school, on the other hand, was at the top of the list of recommendations made to the Minister by the Special Commission on the impacts of screens and social networks. And this idea made consensus in Quebec society, in the opinion of the minister, who considers that The fruit was ripe To apply the regulations this fall.

Too many mockery, insults, conflicts, gestures of violence arise on cellular, sometimes even during class hoursestimated Mr. Drainville.

Too often, denounces the Minister of Education, screens are the trigger for intimidation situations. This is the sound of the bell that the police service of the City of Montreal (SPVM) had sent during its participation in the Commission, recalls Mr. Drainville.

So, by depriving them of their cell phone, the minister hopes that students will socialize more.

When there is no cell phone, young people talk to each other.

The Minister leaves it for each school to determine how to set up the regulations prohibiting screens. Examples already exist in certain establishments in the province, he says.

In the event of non-compliance with the regulations, sanctions adapted to the severity of gestures will come across students: warning, expulsion, obligation to write a letter of apology, repairing gestures, community work.

In addition, Quebec also establishes these changes, which will have to be entered in the school’s life code:

• Vouvoyer will become the standard in all schools in Quebec;
• students will have to say Siror Madame in their interactions with staff;
• The code of life will contain rules encouraging students to adopt respectful behaviors, especially towards school goods.

The establishments have a few more months, at the latest until January 2026, to integrate these modifications into the life code.

Finally, subject to the adoption of Bill 94 on secularism at school, the fundamental principles that are gender equality as well as the discovered face will be added to the Life Code.

Obligations for parents

Among the measures intended to strengthen civic and respect at school, some also aim for parents, which are The first educators of their childa dit Bernard Drainville.

Thus, they will have to read the life code and sign it. They will also be obliged to go to school to participate in meetings that concern their child, when a problem occurs.

Army taxing and violence

THE situations of violence particularly difficult to manage For a school are also targeted in this plan for civility established by Quebec.

To intervene in situations of violent incidents, taxing or even armed violence in school, the government already has an intervention team made up of people who know the education community and who have experience in the field. And, to date, seven establishments are already receiving the support of this team, Minister Drainville said on Thursday.

The intervention team serves as a connection between the ministry and the school management, and its mandate is to find avenues of solutions. If necessary, the intervention team will go to school.

The goal is not to blame or stigmatize schools, but to support thema dit Bernard Drainville.

No uniforms at the moment

The government of the Coalition Avenir Québec did not want to impose the port of uniform for students from Quebec schools, although this possibility was considered, said Drainville. We have around 2,700 schools in Quebec; At one point you also have to give people latitude on the ground.

Moreover, with regard to the prohibition of cellular in the school grounds, some 400 schools had already established it either way And had not waited for the Quebec regulation, said the Minister of Education.

A school council could therefore, if he deems it good, adopt a dress code or a uniform. It’s up to them to decidedit M. Drainville.