Text you later: Nunavut high school bans phones in class

Students at Inuksuk High School can use their phones and other electronic devices before school, during recess and lunch and after school only. (WIKIPEDIA COMMONS PHOTO)

OK kids: put the phone away. This is not LOL.

Inuksuk High School is implementing a new policy that prohibits students from using cell phones and electronic devices during class unless it’s an emergency or is part of a teacher-directed activity.

Penalties for repeat offences range from losing the phone for the remainder of the class to losing phone privileges entirely inside the school’s walls and calls to parents.

The policy was recently posted on the Iqaluit District Education Authority’s Facebook page and included Inuksuk’s number to call for more information.

We tried to talk to Inuksuk High School principal Jay Thomas, using the phone number provided, to find out why the policy was implemented, the model upon which the policy was based, the types of emergencies that would allow phone use and other details.

Thomas was willing to talk to Nunatsiaq News, but said we had to get permission from the Government of Nunavut’s education department communications personnel first.

Education communications manager Wende Halonen returned our calls for information at day’s end, Sept. 2, to say she would try to determine who would be the appropriate spokesperson.

Meantime, this is what we know based on the public posting.

Starting today, Sept. 6, cell phones, electronic devices and headphones may not be used during class time nor may they be used in the halls during class time at Inuksuk High School.

“Non-academic video games” are also prohibited during class time.

The exception to the rule above is if those devices are required for a “teacher-directed activity.”

“Using a cell phone or any electronic device is a privilege, not a right!” the policy states

“When beginning class, students will be told to power down their cell phone and electronic device, remove all headphones and put them out of sight.”

The policy then outlines the increasingly restrictive penalties for breaking the rules, from first to fifth offences including administrators taking phones away for the day and parents being called.

So when are students allowed to get their phone phix?

They can use them up to 8:05 a.m., during recess and lunch, after school and during fitness class, once the teacher has given permission, according to the policy.

Teachers are also asked to, “model appropriate cell phone and electronic device usage.”

You can read more details by going to the Iqaluit DEA Facebook page and scrolling down to this item.

But if you’re an Inuksuk High School student, don’t do that during class time.