New Brunswick's former education minister says his 'one big regret' was not banning cellphones in school. (Jennifer Sweet/CBC)
Former education minister Dominic Cardy regrets not banning cellphones in schools before he quit the job in protest in 2022.
In a post on X last week, he called it his "one big regret" as minister.
"I
thought we needed to teach students to handle these incredible tools. I
was wrong. They're a gift and a threat to all of us but, coupled [with
a] decline in discipline, they're destroying classrooms."
When
he was minister, Cardy said the evidence was more positive about
cellphones and how they gave students "this incredible technology, which
you can find every single thing that's ever happened to anyone, ever
— all there, as far as the student was concerned, for free in their
hands."
WATCH | 'The evidence the last couple of years has pushed me in the opposite direction':
Former education minister says he regrets not banning cellphones in school
Duration 3:07
Dominic Cardy tells Information Morning Fredericton host Jeanne Armstrong why he thinks cellphones are destroying classrooms.
He said the evidence is now more clear that cellphones are a danger and a distraction for students.
Cardy
said attention spans have dropped "from close to half an hour to under
two minutes according to some studies — and 30 seconds according to
others."
He said teachers "are recording over 300 interruptions per class per period" caused by cellphone notifications.
Then there are the well-documented dangers to students' mental health.
An
official with the Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development says it's 'working on updates to Policy 311 to address
cellphone use in a more stringent way.' (Martin Diotte/CBC)
Cardy
said there are "real dangers" caused by "other students being awful to
them, adults being awful to them, the cyberbullying that we've heard a
lot about, which disrupts learning."
He said social
media has become a toxic place where companies and foreign governments
"are intentionally pushing all sorts of rubbish into our phones, which
our students are absorbing as well."
He said adults are
having a difficult enough time distinguishing between real and fake
posts, so how can children be expected to sort it all out.
Not to mention the algorithms that deliberately push viewers in a certain direction.
"And
they're doing it to make money," said Cardy. "So we should not be using
our public school system as a place to further enhance the vast
profitability of American and Chinese social media companies, especially
when they're causing us broader social damage."
When
asked directly if the province is considering a ban, the education
department's communications officer said in an email, "The Department of
Education and Early Childhood Development has been working on updates
to Policy 311 to address cellphone use in a more stringent way. The
department will be bringing forward those modifications in the coming
weeks."
Dominic Cardy says students are getting distracted and exposed to dangers because of their constant cellphone use. (Martin Diotte/CBC)
Cardy said parents are also contributing to the problem.
"We
have got parents who think they have the right to call their kids
during class all day, who called the teachers during class. There are
disruptions going on that are being caused by the families in addition
to the kids' friends and outside sources."
He said it's a "social change" that society has allowed to slide in alongside technology.
"So
let's have a timeout to figure out how we can use cellphones
appropriately, and I think as a starting point should be how we use them
as adults. And then we figure out how they can be used in the
classroom."
Obviously, he said there will be exceptions — like for a student who uses technology to monitor health issues.
"But
the vast majority of kids did manage to survive infancy, adolescence
and all the way up to high school without being in constant touch with
everyone — up till about 10 years ago.
"So I would
bet, based on the entire history of the human race up to about 2012
versus now, we can probably get away with being in slightly less
constant touch with each other without society falling apart."
For the record I agree with Cardy about banning
cellphones and I also agree with Higgy about his concerns about Cardy's
beloved 713 nonsense
Surprise Surprise Surprise eh?
However Mr Outhouse should agree that even a busted clock is correct twice a day
David Amos
Methinks his biggest regret should be sending me butter tarts N'esy Pas?
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Did they list Pecans in the ingredient list?
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Ask Cardy
Harvey York
Reply toDavid Amos
Why would he regret that? It's been consistent source of entertainment for the rest of us. The gift that keeps on giving!
David Amos
Reply toHarvey York
I enjoyed it too
Harvey York
Reply toDavid Amos
No doubt you did. Admit it, you're deeply in love with him.
David Amos
Reply toHarvey York
I have no doubt you are because I suspect you are him
Lou Bell
Actually , Cardy's one big mistake was that he
thought he was still the leader while he was minister of Education ,
set his own agenda , including attending conferences as a rep of the
province and that he had no business even attending .
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
Clearly you are an insider eh?
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
I bet Mr Outhouse will be asking questions about you tomorrow
Lou Bell
In one instance , teachers want to take away
parents rights , then the next they want no part of it . Well the kids
want their phones , and it's their right . I'm sure their union can
accomodate the kids in keeping their phones while in class .
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
Time will tell the tale but one thing I know for sure is that Cardy has no say about it anymore
Ralph Linwood
Reply toLou Bell
Teachers in no way want to take away parents
rights, we want parents to be more involved. Children do not have a
right to have a phone, it is a toy, they can put them away during class.
David Amos
Reply toRalph Linwood
I agree
Lou Bell
Really ? I'm sure there's a law protecting the
rights of these kids . And the teachers should be protecting the rights
of these kids and their access to information . And I'd expect the
francophone districts would write up their own policy and ignore any
that were mandated by the Higgs government anyway .
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
You are just in to bake Cardy some more butter tarts He must be getting low by now.
Lou Bell
Reply toDavid Amos
Naw . Cardy's a one man show , much like
someone else who posts here , not mentioning any names . You should
reach out to him , I'm sure he's looking for candidates
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
In 2019 I swore that I would never run again Remember why???
Lou Bell
Reply toDavid Amos
You had no bike to travel your riding ?
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
I own many bikes but I do demand my Harley back
Lou Bell
Reply toDavid Amos
They made a law one had to get at least as
many votes / supporters in an election as what one had in their
nomination papers ?
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
Wrong you know as well as Higgy that I was going in and
out of the hospitals without a Health Care Card while the cops were
trying to arrest me again
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
BTW I clicked the wrong button by mistake and reported your comment
Lou Bell
Reply toDavid Amos
Never knew anything of the kind . Anything I
knew was what you posted and nothing more . You even accused me of
knowing about you losing your Harley and where it went . You also stated
you had dual citizenship , lived in the woods off the highway , and
someone baked butter tarts for you , and it appeared it was Cardy . You
ran in several elections , and from what others stated , you got less
votes in the elections than the names on your nomination papers . And I
don't even follow social media . Everything I know about you all came
from these pages and were stated by you or someone who was familiar with
you . So if anything was incorrect , It's CBC's fault , not mine . And
not really sure why the cops would arrest you .
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
Yea Right Running for cover are ya?
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell Click on my ID do you really think those are my children? However that is their faces and those are their names
Lou Bell
Reply toDavid Amos
From what ?
David Amos
Reply toLou Bell
Ask Higgy
Wilbur Ross
Ban the GD phones already. No need of them
whatsoever. The only people who support kids with phones in class are
addicted to phones themselves. Can't be on your phone all day at work,
should be the same at school.
David Amos
Reply toWilbur Ross
You hero Trump is addicted to his phone and managed to run a presidency at the same time Correct?
Marc Goudreau
Cellphones have become the latest incarnation
of a critical "information technology" infrastructure that doesn't fit
the cast of the formal schooling system.... and has faired no better
than any of the advanced online Learning Management Systems (LMS) used
in conjunction with cellphone technology in other provinces and
countries with more progressive education systems. I doubt anyone can
point to studies citing the learning benefits associated with removing
cellphones from classrooms but, like that famous song by Pink Floyd,
these sorts of 21st century technologies have become just another "brick
in the wall" for public schools.
David Amos
Reply toMarc Goudreau
There is a song from Youth that applies as well
In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)
by Zager and Evans
William Murdoch
Reply toMarc Goudreau
Citation needed. I will wait for approximately the amunt of time until this commentary section is closed.
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
More like The Mamas and The Papas.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Will this do?
Time
Song by Pink Floyd
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
Tired of lying in the sunshine
Staying home to watch the rain
And you are young and life is long
And there is time to kill today
And then one day you find
Ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run
You missed the starting gun
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun
But it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way
But you're older
Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death
Every year is getting shorter
Never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught
Or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation
Is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over
Thought I'd something more to say
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Will this do?
Time
Song by Pink Floyd
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Koffi Babone
I agree, cell phones should not be part of the school
day. Screen time is associated with negative impacts both in kids and
adults. And teachers should not expect kids to check their phones for
homework, last minute changes etc..
My eldest has no phone and apparently misses some
assignments and classroom changes because they were posted in teams the
night before....
What happened to making announcements in class? Is there
an expectation that kids check their phones for school messages at
night?
Sorry, but I wanted to decrease screen addiction not increase screen dependency...
David Amos
Reply toKoffi Babone
I wonder what Cardy has to say about your concerns
MR Cain
Reply toKoffi Babone
How long has this been on?
Jeremy Amott
Truth be told many adults need some rules as well.
David Amos
Reply toJeremy Amott
They are called laws
William Murdoch Reply to David Amos Rules. Not Laws.
David Amos Reply to William Murdoch There is a big difference For Instance Rule 55
in Federal Court is a rule they used against me However post the wrongs
words in a public forum and Section 300 of the Criminal Code applies
William Murdoch Reply to David Amos As long as the plastic that you use is registered - Green Jesus of Montreal Minister Guilbeault will be pleased.
David Amos Reply to William Murdoch
Politicians do not intimate me I ran for public office 7 times
Frank Blacklock
Could’ve would’ve should’ve
David Amos
Reply toFrank Blacklock
Well put
Douglas Ma
Results from Norway on cell phone ban in school
shows increased grades, less cyber bullying and fewer cases of mental
health issues
David Amos
Reply to Douglas Ma
Why is it that I am not surprised by your revelation?
Douglas Ma
Reply toDavid Amos
Meaning?
David Amos
Reply to Douglas Ma
Its common sense
Graham McCormack
That's his one bog regret!
Stop give this guy time in the media.
Graham McCormack
Reply toGraham McCormack
big not bog
David Amos
Reply toGraham McCormack
Amen
David Amos Reply to Graham McCormack
Ask yourself why I am never mentioned
Mack Leigh
Sadly we as a society have done major harm to
our youth over the past 10 to 15 years by allowing cell phones into our
schools. Time to grow a pair and act as an advocate for our kids even if
it means ticking off a few parents.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply toMack Leigh
The nanny state is running rampant recently thanks to Trudeau The Younger
One could argue the students, teachers, and
school administrators need their cellphones for the alerts that come in
for emergencies such as fugitives on the loose, tornadoes etc.
Ralph Linwood
Reply toLe Wier
The school has a PA system, everyone can be alerted at once. Happens very rarely if ever.
Le Wier
Reply toRalph Linwood
I agree for sure, just playing devil’s
advocate. It’s hard to tell students they can’t have their cellphones
when teachers and school administrators are going around with
cellphones. The do as I say not as I do attitude will be hard to
enforce. The other issue is smartwatches, and I don’t see that being
addressed.
Bob Leeson
Reply toLe Wier
Inventors should come up with a method to
broadcast announcements to all classrooms at once in the event of an
emergency, such as some form of communication over wires or wireless.
Perhaps like a speaker with a microphone in the office or something.
I'd call it an "intercom". I'm going to register that name as a
trademark, and my idea as a patent. :)
David Amos
Reply toLe Wier
FYI Higgy hired the dude the RCMP employed to notify folks in NS that there was a a killer on the lose byway of Twitter
Your intercom idea may not work so well in the outdoors classrooms Cardy D helped to develop and implement during Covid.
David Amos
Reply toLe Wier
Do you know who he is?
Le Wier
Reply toDavid Amos
No who?
David Amos
Reply toLe Wier
If I named him I would be blocked but his name starts with "S" and he works under Austin
David Amos
Reply toLe Wier
Opps I had to check my email it ends with a double "S"
Le Wier
Reply toDavid Amos
I will have to look at that. I did see the info on the new jail oh my.
G. Timothy Walton
How about teaching kids how to recognise clickbait and disinformation? That would actually be useful in life.
William Murdoch
Reply toG. Timothy Walton
Why?
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Why not?
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Because. Just because.
G. Timothy Walton
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Why how?
David Amos
Reply toG. Timothy Walton
Perhaps we should seek counsel from the democracy expert
Ralph Linwood
Reply toG. Timothy Walton
Let parents teach their kids something for once!
David Amos
Reply toRalph Linwood
Good point
Ralph Linwood
Reply toRalph Linwood
Thanks! People need to stop being their kids friends and parent already.
Mack Leigh
Reply toRalph LinwoodReally hard to rely on parents when a lot of
them are lacking in common sense or are devoid of parenting skills.
Technology has become their babysitter of choice.
MR Cain
Reply toG. Timothy Walton
Maybe start here?
Ralph Linwood
Reply toMack Leigh
So true.
David Amos
Reply toRalph Linwood
Yup
William Murdoch
Give the guy a break - all you parents of the children where a new school now stands.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
I never do that
Laura Smith
Did he do anything while he was Minister of Education? Besides complain about Higgs?
William Murdoch
Reply toLaura Smith
He worked with what's her name to set back vaccinations 50 years.
Ralph Skavinsky
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
He was the who first told us of the impending pandemic and Higgs acknowledged that...a very smart move
David Amos
Reply toLaura Smith
I recall them doing a chicken dance together as Higgy called a snap election that nobody wanted
David Amos
Reply toRalph Skavinsky
He had to talk Louie into it first
William Murdoch
Reply toRalph Skavinsky
Told "us". Really?
Laura Smith
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
If it were a vaccination, it would have eliminated COVID before 2021 ended.
William Murdoch
Reply toLaura Smith
That's why they are JABS - not vaccines.
Ralph Skavinsky
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Okay..if you like..he made us aware...
William Murdoch
Reply toRalph Skavinsky
He is responsible for saying that the entire "Science Respects Borders" was nonsense.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Much to Cardy's chargin my daughter and grandchildren crossed the border any time they wished
Max Ruby
Just let them use the phone at lunch and recess like they do now anyway. Didn't Cardy know that?
Didn't he buy the kids a pile of laptops? I bet a lot of them are being used to make phone calls through FB
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Phone Calls Through FB - Classic.
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Why is your link still up?
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch Yup You are in it
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
In what?
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch The blog
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
I am in the blog that your link shows?
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
After election day, Dominic Cardy is flying back home to
his wife in Kathmandu, Nepal. He hopes to leave behind a new Member of
Parliament for Fredericton, his friend John Carty for the NDP.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch Bingo
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch Did ya notice who else was running?
Le Wier
Reply toDavid Amos
Yes I remember the approval of purchase of laptops to marginalized students by Cardy D.
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Not really.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch You don't read deep eh?
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Yeah that's me.
William Murdoch
Flip Phone with No Data and with Text Block.
You can call me on my Cell Phone !
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch What did Higgy say about data???
I had no idea that "Outhouse" was an actual person.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Perhaps you should read before commenting
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
BTW Higgy has no faith in data
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Why should anyone when Nurses claimed more than forty years ago:
OVER WORKED
UNDER PAID
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Who older? You or me?
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos I say you. At 69 maybe.
David Amos Reply to William Murdoch
I am 72 in July How about You?
Daniel Henwell
Everybody has phones in 2024. Even little kids.
They are part of life and you cannot pry them away from (especially)
young people.
Stan Nova
Reply toDaniel Henwell
pry? just no phones in classroom, like not that hard to do, i bet most parents be happy about that
SarahRose Werner
Reply toStan Nova
Except the ones who think they have a "right" to call their kids while the kids are in class.
Stan Nova
Reply toSarahRose Werner
yeah well its not up to them is it ? its up to
the school, they have school codes, so no classroom phones, it hasn't
been that long when that was normal
William Murdoch
Reply toDaniel Henwell
No "everybody" doesn't have cell phones.
William Murdoch
Reply toStan Nova
You be up against a long time commenter there.
William Murdoch
Reply toStan Nova
And how about some UPPER CASE
Ralph Skavinsky
Reply toStan Nova
..or they should be
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch I know for certain Mr Outhouse has one because I called it as soon as he came to NB
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
I don't know who Mr Outhouse is.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch Ask Higgy
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
I will never ask him anything at all.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch I ask him and his minions many things on a daily basis byway of email and the phone
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Okay. I don't even know why I would want to.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch Do you pay taxes???
William Murdoch
Reply toDavid Amos
Not really. Early CPP current employment deductions - yes. Almost 10 %.
David Amos
Reply toWilliam Murdoch I had to sue the Crown to get my CPP because
they deleted my SIN many moons ago but at least I don't pay income taxes
but don't get carbon rebates etc However Health Care property taxes and
sales taxes are other kettles of rotten fish I must deal with Higgy et
al about
Hugh MacDonald
Most people, including students, are prisoners of their phones, That's why they're called cellphones.
David Amos
Reply toHugh MacDonald
Well put
Le Wier
Reply toHugh MacDonald
Maybe the teachers, school administrators, and students can go cold turkey
Le Wier
I think the rules on cellphones in schools
shifted during covid when students were asked to bring their own
electronic devices to school as the districts moved towards a more
collaborative and personal technology based learning model. I think I
remember Cardy D supported the use of a cellphone as an electronic
device at the time.
David Amos
Reply toLe Wier
C'est Vrai
William Murdoch
Reply toLe Wier
I thought that schools were shuttered and at-home learning was where it was at.
Le Wier
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
I looked it up, and that was from the summer of
2020 when they were preparing to open up the schools in September, and
yes GNB authorized funds for laptops for students in families of a lower
income and were marginalized. When asked at a press conference Cardy D
said cellphones like iPhones were ok if that is all the students had for
an electronic device to bring to class.
William Murdoch
Reply toLe Wier
Good work.
Ralph Skavinsky
Good thought Mr Cardy...I wish you had too. However, i believe it will happen soon. I wish you well in your latest endeavor.
William Murdoch Reply to Ralph Skavinsky
So no UPPER CASE from you too?
David Amos
Reply toRalph Skavinsky
Surely you jest
Lee Bronson
I've heard from dozens of educators that
cellphones are useful classroom tools and it's essential that all
students have one at all time of the school day.
Bob de trelleg
Reply to Lee Bronson
No, they are not essential. Many of us made our way through schools without them!
Ralph Skavinsky
Reply toBob de trelleg
If parents need to speak with a child it should only be as an urgent situation in which they can continues the school
SW Home
Reply toBob de trelleg
Didn't really have much of a choice since they
were not invented yet. Cell phones are important part of daily life now.
Schools are behind the times by not teaching students useful things to
help in their daily lives. Instead they are taught how to square dance
and play Hot Cross Buns on the Recorder.
Le Wier
Reply toRalph Skavinsky
I think parents got used to texting their children throughout the day during Covid and online home schooling, and it became the norm for many.
Ralph Skavinsky
Reply toLe Wier
Uh huh..and now it time to change that disruptive habit
Le Wier
Reply toRalph Skavinsky
Yes so it seems, and the teachers and school
administrators will have to put their phones away too. Maybe the
teachers and students can go cold turkey.
David Amos Reply to Lee Bronson
BS
Benoit Boudreau
Whatever happened to that political party he had started up?
David Amos
Reply toBenoit Boudreau
Ask Ric .
William Murdoch
Reply toBenoit Boudreau
No more according social media. My Uncle she told me that.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply toWilliam Murdoch
Methinks your aunt has a twisted sister who should take break from social media N'esy Pas?
Canadian Future is Canada's newest federal political party
Denis Van Humbeck
Never too late for the ban. All students who
have a cell phone should have to give their at the school door as soon
as the enter and then pick up their phone when they leave the building.
Harvey York
Reply toDenis Van Humbeck
I whole heartedly agree with you. Helicopter parents probably wouldn't though...
An
official with the Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development says it's 'working on updates to Policy 311 to address
cellphone use in a more stringent way.' (Martin Diotte/CBC)
Dominic Cardy says students are getting distracted and exposed to dangers because of their constant cellphone use. (Martin Diotte/CBC)
Surprise Surprise Surprise eh?
However Mr Outhouse should agree that even a busted clock is correct twice a day