Local school boards praise new rules on vaping and cellphone use
As school boards across the province learn more about the bans on vaping and cell phone use, many are preparing for the change they say is long overdue.
The Simcoe County District School Board says a system has been in place since 2019 that restricts students from vaping or using cell phones in the classroom.
According to the school board, this latest announcement aligns with the board's policy and will help reinforce the practice and expectations regarding the rules.
As part of its comprehensive approach, the board is also installing vaping monitors in bathrooms throughout its schools to further reinforce the ban on vaping.
The latest data provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit found that in 2019, 30 percent of grade 11 and 12 students reported vaping daily, and those numbers are expected to be much higher over the past two years.
The Simcoe County District School Board says the timing of this ban is pivotal.
"School educators have been dealing with these concerns, and there have been ongoing concerns about the challenges we're facing in schools as a result of this, so I think this announcement is an acknowledgement of these concerns and an acknowledgement of what the issues are that schools are facing," said Jodi Lloyd, chairperson of the Simcoe County District School Board.
CTV News also reached out to the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board; according to that board, their team is still working through the details of the changes and guidelines and hopes to have a plan in place in the next few months.
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