Southeast Wisconsin school cellphone use; looking at policies

MILWAUKEE - School districts have varying policies when it comes to cellphones.

It's a powerful device that almost all of us carry everywhere we go. Cellphones keep us connected. 

At least that's what parents, like Andrea Smith, counts on for her Brown Deer High School freshman.

"It’s taken a lot," Smith said. "I use it as a form of protection for him, when he’s at football games and stuff, but he knows when he’s in school, it’s to be put in his locker or not carried around school."

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And schools recognize how cellphones affect student performance.

"There’s reasons to limit that usage," said Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Behavioral Health Program Clinical Supervisor Dr. Kate Bennett. 

She said phones in the hands of children can come with side effects, both physical and emotional. This includes changes in mood, sleep patterns and cyberbullying.

"I know there’s a lot of discussion about removing cellphones during the day," Bennett said.

So what are the biggest school districts in our area doing about cellphones? FOX6 News reached out to some of the largest school districts in the area: Milwaukee, Kenosha and Racine.

No one from those districts would go on camera, but all have policies in writing.

In Milwaukee, phones are allowed for approved purposes. Otherwise, they can be confiscated. Possible penalties include suspension and expulsion if used for harassment.

Kenosha's policy leaves it up to each teacher to decide if students can use phones in their class, but they can't connect to district wifi. All students can use phones before school, during lunch, after school and in emergency situations.

In Racine, cellphones are prohibited, with some exceptions, like medical reasons. Like other districts, they also restrict cellphones in areas where you'd expect privacy, like the bathroom.

But when it comes to enforcement, Racine does things a little differently.

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Last year, the district set up a cellphone committee.

Groups of students, teachers, staff and parents at each campus develop policy on a school-by-school basis. Out of that, records show some of Racine's high schools require students to store cellphones out of sight.

Case High School decided to focus on treating cellphone misuse as an addiction.

"Technology is really integral to our life," Bennett said.

And parents, teachers and community members must have open conversations with kids about it, because it's technology we can't always get away from.

"I trust the way the school communicates with us, and if there was an incident, I would know about it sooner, than later," Smith said.