Two months after making it the announcement, the Legault government released a draft payment on Wednesday which confirms the complete prohibition of the cellular in all schools at the start of the school year and the compulsory vouvoyance in order to strengthen civility.
However, players in the school network warn that it will be difficult to get there in a context of compression.
The use of a cell phone, headphones and any other personal mobile device will be prohibited “on the fields and in school buildings”, except when a teacher allows for educational reasons, for health reasons or for special needs of a student in difficulty, can be read in the draft settlement.
In the office of the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, it is specified, however, that the prohibition will be in force from the start to the end of the lessons. This clarification will be communicated shortly to the school network and does not appear in the draft settlement “for legal reasons”, it is said.
However, this is an important issue for parents who may have to communicate with their child at the end of the day, the Federation of Parents of Quebec’s parents committees underlines. “It is a clarification that would be desirable,” says its president, Mélanie Laviolette.
Strengthen civicism in a context of compressions
From 1is January 2026, schools will also have to ensure that their life code contains certain provisions aimed at strengthening civility, including the obligation to see staff members and use the title of “Madame” or “Sir” to address them.
However, school departments deplore that these new rules arise in a context of compressions.
Schools will have to reduce the number of pupils and specialized educators next year who could have contributed to teaching this good manners, underlines Kathleen Legault, president of the Montreal association of school departments.
“We are asked to do what we were already doing and we are removed the means to succeed,” she deplores.
The vouvoyant is far from being unanimous. Actors of the school network would have preferred that greater autonomy is granted to staff members on this subject, while others question the relevance of imposing the vouvoyer from kindergarten, at 4 and 5 years old.
Sanctions and “repairing gestures”
As announced in May, the rules of conduct must also provide for sanctions, including “in particular the warning, written reflection, restraint, suspension and expulsion”, as well as the possibility of imposing “repairing gestures”, “in particular the formulation of verbal or written excuses, the repair or replacement of a damaged property […] and the execution of community work ”.
Some are however surprised that this “punitive” approach is not accompanied by an “educational intention”.
“There is nothing that says that you have to teach students a good manners” which sometimes lacks them, underlines Sylvain Martel, spokesperson for the grouping of the autonomous parents of Quebec.
This draft payment, which could be modified, will come into force in mid-August, which leaves very little time to prepare well, it is deplored in the school network.
