Cell phones have been banned in the classrooms of public primary and secondary schools in Quebec since this winter, but the Parti Québécois (PQ) believes that we should take a further step to limit the screen time of young people, by extending this ban during breaks and recess.
According to the training, the principle that should guide the government in this matter is “the need to take screens out of school, as much as possible”.
Thus, the PQ believes that it is essential to take cell phones out of primary and secondary schools, including during breaks, as has been done in France since 2018.
“Quebec schools must be exemplary among our young people. Our young people must have the taste to reconnect with interactions that are not virtual during their presence at school, and this obviously includes during breaks and during recess,” the PQ leader underlined in a press release, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, Tuesday morning.
The government directive banning the use of cell phones in class came into effect after the most recent holiday season. It prohibits the use of cell phones in primary and secondary school classrooms, except for specific educational purposes at the request of the teacher.
The PQ, however, believes that we should go further. He maintains that “not grasping the urgency to act is a mistake” and maintains that the Coalition Avenir Québec government is “dragging its feet on this issue.”
Digital majority
Furthermore, the PQ is back with its request to study the possibility of imposing a numerical majority, which could make it compulsory to reach a certain age to register on a social network.
Once again, the training cited the example of France, where young people under 15 will need parental authorization to register on a social network.
“The idea of creating a digital majority at 14 or 15 years old to access social networks must be studied in Quebec,” argued the PQ leader, who proposed setting up a parliamentary commission which would look into this question of here the next school year.
Last week, Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon directly questioned Prime Minister François Legault on this subject in the National Assembly, and Mr. Legault brushed aside the idea.
“Okay, did I just hear the leader of the PQ tell us: “We should ban social media for children under 14?” Is that what he just said? Did I hear that correctly? Is that his suggestion? » said Mr. Legault.
In the past, Mr. Legault has also asked for the collaboration of parents so that they limit their children’s screen time.