Nova Scotians overwhelmingly support cellphone bans in schools

The province’s latest directive for Nova Scotia schools is clearly popular, according to a new survey.

Starting in September, elementary school students must store away their phones for entire days while older public school students will be banned from using cellphones in classes unless teachers allow it for instruction.

A new Narrative Research survey conducted between Aug. 8 and 21 indicates 89 per cent of respondents in Nova Scotia support that move with only 7 per cent somewhat or completely in opposition.

“They felt really that phones do present an opportunity to educate and maybe you can teach youth to properly how to use cellphones,” explains Narrative Research CEO Margaret Brigley.

“But more so, they thought you should only penalize usage (or) abuse rather than ban it across the board.”

Brigley says 72 percent of Nova Scotians are strongly in favour of cellphone bans adding that the reason given is because they think it would help students focus on their studies.

Other reasons cited for supporting a cellphone ban in the classroom include that cellphones don’t serve a purpose in classrooms or they contribute to a risk of addiction.

The level of support is similar across all Atlantic provinces with close to nine in ten respondents (86%) expressing support for a classroom ban.

More than 1,300 Atlantic Canadians aged 18 or older took part in the survey.