On July 9th, 2025, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 68 into law, which, among other things, completely banned all personal electronic devices from every school in Missouri. This means any device that can receive, send, or view information, images, or data is no longer allowed to be accessed during school hours. Even during the passing period, STAR, privilege time, and lunch, devices will be sent to the office if seen by a teacher.
The bill was intended to support students’ education and create an effective environment for students to learn in, which it has accomplished in part. More work is being done in our STAR classes now that students can no longer procrastinate on their phones. Some students are also more present in everyday conversations with peers, and others are learning to be more responsible.
Despite the clear benefits, though, the law has had many unforeseen consequences. While students are on their phones less often at school, some students find they are on their phones more often outside of school to “make up” for the time they’ve lost, which may result in students losing out on after-school activities.
Also, while some students are learning to become more responsible with their time, other students are only learning how to hide their activities better, which is not tolerated in a true work environment. At their jobs, many adults are allowed to check their phones for texts or time, but since students are learning to hide such checks. This could easily be fixed, though, if this law were to lift the ban on phones for those above eighth grade, allowing students below eighth grade to focus better and fostering responsibility for those above when they need it most.
Moreover, what a student does with their education is up to them. Some students are inattentive and would rather ignore the class and get a low grade than learn. In the past, the tool for distraction was the phone, but now that phones aren’t allowed, those same students will only find something new to entertain themselves with. Some students have found that there are more kids that are loud and disruptive as a result.
While phones can be used to cultivate one’s inattentiveness, many students used phones as tools for good. For example, we journalism students used phones as a recording device that could easily transcribe our interviews into writing. But now with that new law in place, the students who used their phones for good no longer are able to use them, and the students who wrongly used phones before will either use their phones anyway, or find something new to disturb the peace of the classroom.
Ultimately, Senate Bill 68 fails at its task to create a more peaceful learning environment at Nixa High School. It creates more distractions than it eliminates, causes more screen time at home, creates miscommunication between students and parents and only stops students who need phones for good purposes.
Contributors: Aubrey Peterson, Isabella Nelson, Ana R. Matos, Jaden Ezzo, Martin Schmalzbauer, Jack Edwards, Brynlee Mann, Mira Weiss
