School lockers, generic school. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Cell phones, and now AI, are integrated into daily life, an issue schools are tackling – where excessive use can stunt social development and learning.
“I’ve seen students get distracted once in a while,” said Danyel Chaves, a freshman at Appleton East High School. “I don’t think it’s that serious to be honest, but it’s definitely a problem.”
Of the the 16 biggest districts in Northeast Wisconsin, no high schools allow phone use during class time. Some require students to keep phones in lockers or a designated spot in the classroom, and most allow phone use during lunch and between classes – as is the case with Kaukauna’s new policy.
“We felt like that was kind of the happy medium,” said Kaukauna Area School District Superintendent Mike Slowinski, “between the important piece of removing the distraction from learning, but also accommodating for a really rare occurrence to get in touch with a family as quickly as can.”
High school cell phone policy in 16 biggest districts in NE Wisconsin:
- Appleton: “may be granted limited permission to possess… at school (before, during and/or after the normal school day), up to principal’s discretion
- Ashwaubenon: cell phones in storage container designated by teacher; allowed during lunch, between classes*
- De Pere: cell phones in storage container designated by teacher; allowed during lunch, between classes
- Fond du Lac: “must be used with permission”
- Green Bay: cell phones silenced, put away during instructional time
- Hortonville: cell phones “not used” during learning time for entertainment purposes”
- Howard-Suamico: cell phones prohibited during school day except with supervisor permission
- Kaukauna: cell phones powered off, put away during class time (not in pocket); allowed during lunch, between classes*
- Kimberly: cell phones silenced, put away during instructional time; allowed during lunch, between classes
- Manitowoc: cell phones in locker during school day; allowed during lunch*
- Menasha: cell phones silenced, put away during instructional time; allowed during lunch, between classes
- Neenah: cell phones prohibited during instructional time
- Oshkosh: cell phones prohibited during instructional time; allowed during lunch, between classes
- Pulaski: cell phones prohibited during instructional time
- Shawano: cell phones prohibited during instructional time; allowed during lunch, between classes
- West De Pere: cell phones not permitted during school day
- *Updated for 2025-26
In Kaukauna, a survey of nearly 1000 district parents showed the following results.
- 76% say devices distract their students from learning during school
- 67% say devices add stress and anxiety in school
The district surveyed 242 staff members:
- 75% say weekly phones disrupt teaching
- 60% say daily phones disrupt teaching
- 25% of elementary teachers say it’s an issue
Results: Most parents (76%) wanted phones out of the classroom, but less than half (40%) wanted phones banned from start to finish.
And ChatGPT – increasingly prevalent.
OpenAI users chart.jpg
“I would try to figure it out first, and then if I couldn’t, I would go on ChatGPT and use help,” said Ryan Espy, also a freshman at Appleton East High School.
Added Chaves: “Some students would attempt to get the answers, and I feel that’s wrong because you’re not really learning anything from it.”
Current AI policy in schools:
- Appleton: partial AI use allowed with teacher permission
- Ashwaubenon: can only use Brisk platform, up to teacher’s discretion
- De Pere: N/A
- Fond du Lac: partial AI use allowed with teacher permission
- Green Bay: partial AI use allowed with teacher permission
- Hortonville: partial AI use allowed with teacher permission
- Howard-Suamico: partial AI use allowed
- Kaukauna: no policy; advise teachers with guidelines
- Kimberly: N/A
- Manitowoc: N/A
- Menasha: partial AI use allowed
- Neenah: partial AI use allowed with teacher permission
- Oshkosh: partial AI use allowed with teacher permission
- Pulaski: prohibits “using artificial intelligence platforms in place of one’s own work”
- Shawano: partial AI use allowed with teacher permission
- West De Pere: N/A
Most area high schools allow for partial AI use with teacher permission. When used as a search engine or to revise an essay, it’s a useful tool, according to Slowinski.
“We know that AI is going to be a powerful tool in our economy, and in our workforce in the future,” said Slowinski. “So we do need to prepare students to use it.”
Both AI and cell phone use are a big part of both the future and present. For schools, it’s a challenge that appears to have no concrete answers according to Slowinski – but instead a need for discernment in a changing world.
Statewide legislation to ban cell phone use during class time could come soon. A Republican-sponsored bill passed in the Assembly and awaits Senate approval.
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