Wauwatosa District Now Allowing Cell Phones In Schools

WAUWATOSA, WI — Citing a student cellphone policy that has been increasingly unenforceable, Wauwatosa Schools Superintendent Phil Ertl informed all teachers and staff that middle school and high school students will be allowed to have their cell phones on them during the school day.

"We’ve tried for years to enforce the policy of 'no cell phones' and the feedback I have received is it’s just not enforceable. It’s led to a lot of energy wasted on power struggles. We want to readjust the focus and energy to teaching and learning," Ertl stated in a letter that was recently sent to all school district staff.

In the letter, Ertl said he acknowledges that some staff members may have concerns about allowing cell phones during the school day - with some guidelines - and that individual teachers have the freedom to prohibit the use of phones in their specific classrooms if they choose.

This policy decision is a departure from the district's earlier guidelines, which sought to restrict cell phone usage during school hours.

In a 2016 ruling, the district informed parents that their children will be "prohibited from using or displaying cell phones in plain sight during the school day." Students could have their phones confiscated and "appropriate disciplinary consequences will be assigned," and "students who fail to comply with the new policy."

District officials said that cell phone usage was something that "gets in the way of learning."

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