Pity the Innocent Cell Phones

From EdWeek:

The Milwaukee school district wants cell phones and other electronic devices banned in an effort to improve school safety.

Superintendent William Andrekopoulos has told principals they must craft policies banning cell phones and electronic pagers in the 90,000-student district when the second semester starts on Jan. 29.

The changes come after violence marred the first half of the school year, including an incident this month at Bradley Tech High School in which dozens of people fought inside and outside the school. Mr. Andrekopoulos said that this year there have been incidents at nine schools that involved adults responding to cell pone calls and attacking people at the school.

Students are not allowed to use cellular phones during the school day, but the rules are often disregarded. There would still be some exceptions for students to use cell phones, such as medical conditions, the superintendent said.

Is there any reason to think that the new rule will work if they didn’t bother to enforce the old one? And didn’t we just see this story last year?