Ryan Patterson
RACINE — The Racine Unified School District is considering a potential district-wide cellphone ban.
During its business meeting Sept. 22, the district’s board approved a referral to discuss the topic at its next governance committee meeting.
The date has not yet been scheduled.
The governance committee will discuss whether RUSD “should go to a cellphone free district policy,” according to the referral.
The topic likely then will be discussed during a board work session and business meeting.
Board member Scott Coey submitted the referral.
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| Coey |
He said cellphones can be distracting and pose a safety issue.
“I think it’s beyond time that we do something bigger,” Coey said. “I’m done waiting for the state to do its part. I know that there will be costs. I know that there will be concerns, but I can’t expect (Superintendent Soren) Gajewski to get good results with (cellphones) distracting all of these kids.”
Board member Theresa Villar said she has noticed “a lot more momentum” regarding how cellphones “interfere with education and human development in general.”
“I think it’s worth revisiting and seeing where we need to go from here,” she said.
Existing policy
Wisconsin is one of eight states with no laws or rules regarding cellphoneuse in public schools, according to the Associated Press.
The RUSD cellphone policy is in the district codebook of rights and responsibilities: “The use of electronic devices, including but not limited to cellphones, tablets, computers, etc., is allowable ONLY with approval from school staff for instructional purposes.”
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| Villar |
Last school year, RUSD began more strictly enforcing cellphone limitations in high schools and middle schools in an effort to improve learning.
RUSD students cannot use cellphones during instruction time, with limited exceptions.
Efforts to address cellphone use in RUSD schools began more than two years ago.
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If a Walden school student uses a phone during instruction time, it must go into a classroom storage area. If a student is unwilling to give up the phone, it is stored in the main office in a box for the rest of the day.
In June 2023, the RUSD Board approved a referral directing administration to pursue options to remove cellphones from classrooms during the school day.
An RUSD cellphone committee was formed as a result, and then each middle school and high school formed a building cellphone committee to determine procedures.
Teachers and administrators at different buildings also met in spring 2024 to discuss potential ideas before making decisions.
Beginning near the end of 2023-24, administrators regularly informed students and families of the new 2024-25 cellphone procedures.
Schools also provided families with staff phone numbers to call if they needed to immediately reach a student at school.
The new procedures were emphasized at the start of the 2024-25 school year, with teachers and administrators explaining why they were happening.
A 2019 Pew Research Center study found that 95% of Americans ages 13-17 have access to a smartphone, with 45% saying they are “almost constantly” using the internet.
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