Sudbury doctor says screen-free classrooms would benefit students
Dr. Emily Dubé is a mom of four and a family physician in Sudbury.
When her oldest daughter first started school in the city, Dubé said she was shocked by the amount of screen time used in the classroom.
“I asked for that not to be the case or there to be limits on TV shows, and non-educational content. We had a lot of pushback from the administration,” Dubé said.
“We were told we were a minority of parents. I really felt strongly that from speaking with other parents, and from the obvious effects of screens that, that this was not the case.”
That’s when she started the Screen-free Elementary education in Sudbury survey. That was two years ago and now she has support from more than 200 parents and teachers who have filled it out.
That includes Erin Cooney, who said she was first made aware of screen time at her child’s school when their school lunch would come back nearly untouched.
“I then learned that they were watching Netflix/YouTube videos during snack and lunchtime, which completely distracted my child from eating,” Cooney said.
“After speaking with friends who had children at various schools in town, I learned that screen time for eating was common practice. I was very surprised and disappointed. Obviously, I wanted my child to eat while at school but I also wanted them to talk to their peers and learn to socialize.”
School admin agreed
Thankfully, the school administration agreed to enact policies to reduce screen time. Cooney hopes the changes stick.
“The administration changes regularly at each school … so I’m not sure what the future holds if it isn’t board or ministry mandated,” she said.
“I do hope we do better with the knowledge we have to ensure we are giving our children the best we can.”
Dubé said she shared findings from the survey with three of the four area school boards but that Rainbow District School Board refused to receive the information.
CTV News contacted the board and received this response:
“Rainbow District School Board strives for balance with the use of technology in education. There are many benefits to the purposeful use of technology to support and supplement teaching and learning. It does not replace the face-to-face instruction and interaction that occurs between teachers and students in Rainbow Schools.
“In our efforts to provide the greatest learning opportunities for our students, a completely screen-free education is not a viable option. In fact, the Ministry of Education has asked school boards to incorporate digital tools for math instruction. These tools enable teachers to obtain immediate feedback on how well students understand concepts.
Technology tools
“Technology tools have enabled students to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. There are students in Rainbow Schools who require assistive technology to learn. We work diligently to ensure our students receive the appropriate accommodations in order to maximize their full potential.”
Dubé said this is a huge public health problem that needs to be addressed.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“I think we need to look at what is happening in the schools, and address, that portion, as well,” she said.
“Oftentimes this discussion gets sidetracked with what is happening in the homes. And parents do feel overwhelmed and have significant difficulties with controlling or deciding what to do with screen time. It's not an easy decision and so we tend to focus on what's happening at home.
“However, we do know that kids are spending a large portion of their day, at school, and that there is lots of screen time there,” she added.
While Dubé said she hopes the survey brings about better education for children in the community, she said it’s also about providing support at the community level for parents.
Click here to take part in the survey.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7013802.1724618070!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Downpour in Jasper National Park slows fires, but comes with warning
Parks Canada says a weekend drenching of rain on parts of Jasper National Park is doing a lot to quell fire activity, but the wet weather also comes with a warning.
Toronto police release new photo of man wanted for murder in deaths of two relatives
Toronto police have released a new photo of a 33-year-old man they are seeking in connection with the deaths of his two female relatives.
Arrests made after Mexican immigrants discovered working for company in Moose Jaw
A joint investigation between the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) and Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) led to the arrest of four immigrants from Mexico who were working in Saskatchewan illegally.
Sudbury-area cooking fire causes more than $200K damage to home
There were no injuries reported after a home on Montcalm Street in the Greater Sudbury community of Azilda sustained heavy damage in a fire.
Gun seized from man at festival in Hamilton, preventing 'tragedy': police
Hamilton police say officers arrested a 23-year-old man who allegedly brought a handgun at a festival in Hamilton where many gathered, including children, Saturday night, preventing a 'tragedy.'
OPINION The dark side of frugality: When saving becomes an obsession
Is being frugal pushing you over the edge? Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew explains some of the downsides of obsessive frugality and offers some tips on how to balance frugal living with living your daily life.
Japan thrashes Canada 55-28 to open Pacific Nations Cup
Up against Japan to open the Pacific Nations Cup tournament, Canada faltered early. Thirty-one minutes into the game, the Brave Blossoms held a 31-0 lead.
North Korean leader supervises test of 'suicide drones,' calls them crucial for war readiness
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a demonstration of new “suicide drones” and pledged to spur the development of such weapons to boost his military’s war readiness, state media said Monday.
'This is our livelihood': Commercial dog walkers banned from Toronto park
A group of commercial dog walkers are voicing their frustration with a new policy that bans them from operating at a downtown Toronto dog park, saying their livelihoods are at stake.