Cell phone policy: Racine Unified board member pushes discussion, saying, ‘I’m Done Waiting’

RACINE, WI — A Racine Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Education member is asking if the district should implement a cell phone-free policy.

At Monday’s meeting, Board member Scott Coey issued a referral for a policy, and his request was approved for the governance committee.

“I’m done waiting for the state to do its part,” Coey said at Monday’s board meeting. “I know that there will be costs. I know there will be concerns, but I can’t expect (superintendent) Mr. (Soren) Gajewski to get good results with that thing (cell phones) distracting all these kids anymore.”

Survey respondents say schools should be phone-free

Racine County Eye conducted a non-scientific poll of its readers to gauge opinions on student cell phone use in schools. At the time this article was published, a total 214 responses were recorded.

The survey asked parents and community members whether schools should be mobile phone-free zones and whether teachers should collect phones at the start of class, as well as the reasons parents feel cell phones are important for their children to carry.

Results show that just over 70% of respondents support schools being cell phone-free zones, while about 56% said teachers should collect phones during class time.

At the same time, parents’ most chosen option for why their children need their phones in school was the potential of an active shooter. Other top answers included after-school logistics, emergency contact, and peace of mind.

Wisconsin 1 of 7 states without cell phone policy

According to the district’s student handbook, students are not permitted to use or display electronic paging or two-way communication devices, such as cellular or mobile phones, while on school property during school hours. Students may be permitted to possess or use an electronic communication device if it is for a medical, school, educational or vocational or legitimate use.

In all of these exceptions, students must obtain approval from the school administrator for the use of an electronic communication device during the school day.

More states are implementing cell phone bans or restrictions. According to the Associated Press, 17 states and the District of Columbia have cell phone restrictions for the current school year, making a total of 35 states with restrictions on personal communication devices.

Wisconsin is one of eight states that don’t have a cell phone ban, according to the AP.

West of I-94, Union Grove High School students may not use personal communication devices (cell phones) in classrooms, according to the district’s student policy handbook.

Cell phone pouch wall hangers are inside UGHS classrooms.

Principal Tom Blair said school administration expects the hangers in every class.

“The accepted practice, or the expected practice, that teachers have is once they get to the classroom, to put the phones in the pouches so they’re visible to the students, but they’re not a distraction,” Blair said.

All teachers have a cell phone storage area in their classroom that requires students to place their cell phones in them during class, or maybe times where teachers may allow students to utilize cell phones in their classrooms for academic purposes during specific times, he added.

“The expectation to return the phones to the storage area, as teachers request,” Blair said.