Paul St-Pierre Plamondon could go even further than Bernard Drainville. The idea of banning cell phones in schools, and not just in class, is gaining traction in the Parti Québécois.
No more TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat during breaks and lunch. Young people in primary and secondary schools would no longer be able to turn up to their educational institution with their smartphone in their pocket, according to a proposal being debated by activists this weekend at the PQ National Council, where former Prime Minister Pauline Marois will come and talk about education.
“The PQ is committed to banning personal electronic devices in our schools from pre-school through to the end of secondary school,” says the proposal booklet setting out the party’s direction. However, this measure would not apply to devices used for educational and teaching purposes or for students with special needs.
The political committee also wants the party to commit to introducing a frame of reference for the use of screens in schools when it takes power, after drawing up a portrait and risk-benefit analysis.
In the name of educational success, the CAQ Education Minister approved a policy earlier this fall that prohibits the use of cell phones and other personal mobile devices in the classroom. Bernard Drainville gave public elementary and secondary schools until December 31 to implement this new rule.
No more student selection
According to the PQ political committee, state-funded schools should be prevented from selecting their students and private schools should be forced to accept some of the young people in difficulty.
In addition, all schools should offer free private projects to all students without exception. The PEI (International Education), arts studies, sports studies or concentration programs could no longer select young people based on their grades or abilities, says one of the proposals presented to PQ activists in Saint-Hyacinth this weekend.
Financing private schools
As promised in the past, the PQ is coming back with the idea of cutting public funding for private religious schools.
Other private educational institutions would reduce their subsidies from the state treasury “gradually below 50%,” the proposal book says. This is a more nuanced position from the PQ, which until then had advocated “gradually abolishing public subsidies for private schools.”
Here are some proposals presented to Parti Québécois activists during the National Council
- The Parti Québécois is committed to banning personal electronic devices in our schools from preschool through the end of secondary school. The ban does not apply to devices used for educational and teaching purposes or for students with special needs.
- The Parti Québécois is committed to carrying out a portrait and risk-benefit analysis of the use of screens in schools and to establish a frame of reference for the use of screens and health in schools on a scale. Quebec, taking into account the needs and capacities of the school environment.
- The Parti Québécois is committed to creating a fair, equitable and inclusive education system by banning state-funded schools from selecting their students.
- The Parti Québécois advocates that all private educational institutions must accept a certain proportion of students with difficulties.
- The Parti Québécois is committed to ending all public funding of private religious schools.
- The Parti Québécois is committed to offering all currently subsidized private schools the opportunity to become fully state-funded subsidized schools and is committed to gradually reducing subsidies for private schools that do not agree to this.
- The Parti Québécois is committed to ensuring that all state-funded schools offer all students a choice of specific projects. These projects are free, open to all, and subject to free choice, without selection based on grades or behavior.
- The Parti Québécois is committed to guaranteeing meals in elementary school to all children in Quebec, regardless of their parents’ social status, and to promoting the use of Quebec foods.