Cell Phones and Guns in Milwaukee Public Schools

The Milwaukee Public Schools are a mess.

That's a generalization but it's a fair one.

I know there are many excellent, dedicated teachers and staff in MPS serving many students eager to learn and make something of themselves and strive for a promising future. There are success stories.

What they do manage to accomplish is even more impressive given the fact that they are having to struggle with thug students and their thug parents on a daily basis.

Earlier this year, there was an uproar over the decision by MPS to ban cell phones.

MILWAUKEE -- School brawls have gone high tech, with students using cell phones to call in reinforcements — in one case requiring police and pepper spray to break up a fight that swelled to about 20 family members on school grounds.

The fracas earlier this month, in which six students and three adults were arrested, was the latest in a surge of cell phone-related fights and prompted Wisconsin’s largest school district to ban cell phones in its 217 schools beginning Monday.

“We consider (cell phones) almost as weapons because when they call, we’re the ones out in front and we don’t know these people are coming,” said Mike Heese, safety security assistant at Bradley Tech High School, where the fight happened.

Has safety improved since the cell phone ban went into effect?

I'm not sure.

There have been some problems because of the ban. A 15-year-old student assaulted a teacher because she tried the cell phone from the girl.

A teacher at Fritsche Middle School took a phone from the student Tuesday.

The student is accused of then turning on the 53-year-old teacher and punching her in the face 10 times.

The girl has been charged with felony battery to a school district employee, but her mother claims the girl was just defending herself.

"I think she has a problem with people forcefully putting their hands on her when they shouldn't. I mean, they're taught all the time if people are touching you inappropriately, you're supposed to defend yourself or tell someone," the mother said.

The girl's mother said the phone didn't even work.

The teacher is recovering from facial pain and a chipped tooth.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

No matter what rules and regulations are put in place, there will always be those who will ignore them.

For example, take guns.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that MPS students know that guns aren't allowed in school.

I may be going out on a limb, but I assume that's the case.

Today, a student broke the rule.

An 18-year-old student at Pulaski High School was arrested after a gun was found in his locker Thursday, Milwaukee police said today.

The gun was not loaded, said police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz.

She said the boy dropped the gun from his pocket during a class and a school safety officer alerted the police.

The gun wasn't loaded.

I guess that's not so bad.

Never mind. Carry on.