Editorial: Evers’ school phone ban is a step in the right direction

By Brandi Makuski

Gov. Tony Evers’ proposal to ban cell phones during the school day is more than a headline-grabber — it’s a necessary first step toward addressing a generation’s growing dependence on technology.

Even though the district passed a not dissimilar restriction last year, local teachers say the problem is obvious. Many quietly express frustration that they spend as much time competing with screens as they do teaching. Some say it’s nearly impossible to keep students’ attention when messages and notifications are constant. None are allowed to speak publicly without district approval, but their concerns echo those heard across Wisconsin: technology has taken over the classroom.

Evers’ plan would limit phone use during school hours, giving students a chance to focus, listen, and interact without distraction. It’s not about punishing kids — it’s about helping them learn how to be present.

This may sound surprising coming from an all-digital news outlet. We know more than 70 percent of Metro Wire readers access our stories on cell phones or tablets. We value that technology — it’s what keeps local news accessible. But even we recognize that constant screen time comes at a cost. And that cost is simply too high.

Today’s students are growing up in a world where conversations happen through glass, not across tables. Employers throughout central Wisconsin routinely report that younger workers struggle with face-to-face communication, reading social cues, and professional etiquette. Increasingly, they’re also noticing a troubling shift in priorities — employees who are quick to check notifications or scroll social feeds but slow to engage in person, collaborate, or problem-solve. These aren’t failings of intelligence — they’re the natural outcome of a culture that prizes speed and connection over depth and dialogue.

Pulling away from social media — and all its noise, negativity, and misinformation — would do young people a lot of good. A stronger focus on their communities, their schools, and real local news would help them see the world beyond the filter of an app. Local journalism offers something social media never can: context, accountability, and genuine connection to the people and issues that shape daily life.

Removing phones from schools won’t fix everything, but it can start rebuilding the skills that matter most: conversation, focus, patience, and connection.

Parents who worry about emergencies should remember that schools have always had safe, reliable ways to contact students when needed. What’s far more common than emergencies are the constant interruptions that erode attention and amplify anxiety.

If Wisconsin truly wants to prepare students for life beyond high school, we have to start teaching them to live and communicate without constant digital interference. Evers’ proposal gives schools permission — and a mandate — to reclaim the classroom.

But the next step must come from the rest of us. Adults, too, need to break their dependence on social media. We model the behavior our children learn. If we want a generation capable of listening, engaging, and thinking critically, we must start by putting down our own phones.

It’s a small step, but a meaningful one — and one that could help a generation, and the one raising it, rediscover what it means to truly connect.