Ontario to ban cellphones from classrooms for non-educational purposes. Should we do the same?

Starting this fall, Ontario students won’t be able to bring their cellphones to class unless teachers are using them for educational reasons.
“Ontario’s students need to be able to focus on their learning — not their cellphones,” Education Minister Lisa Thompson said in a statement released early Tuesday.
“Last fall, we launched the largest-ever consultation on education in the history of Ontario. During this consultation we heard that 97 per cent of respondents support some form of a ban on cellphones. It was the closest thing we got in our consultation to unanimity,” a source told CP.
“Our government will be introducing a ban on cellphones in the classroom. Beginning next school year, cellphones will no longer be allowed in the classroom unless they are required for educational purposes, health and medical purposes, or to support special needs.”
The proposed ban, first reported by the Canadian Press, was a part of Premier Doug Ford’s election platform.
Given how ubiquitous the devices are among youth, it’s unclear how such a ban will be enforced. Some boards have already grappled with curbing student cellphone use during the school day, including Toronto, which later opted to leave the decision up to teachers. The change will come into effect this fall.
“By banning cellphone use that distracts from learning, we are helping students to focus on acquiring the foundational skills they need like reading, writing and math,” Thompson also said. “We will be making a formal announcement in the near future.”