A new district policy states that students cannot have their cellphones or other electronic devices out during the school day, including during passing periods and lunches. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 68, causing the board to pass a new policy based on the recent research regarding how cellphones can negatively affect education.
“My view is the evidence is pretty overwhelming that cell phones are a net negative,” Sean Fowler, a teacher who was part of the committee to create this policy said. “They decrease in-person socialization among students. They lead to lower test scores, lower grades, lead to more psychological problems. I’m not going to say it’s the source of all these problems, but it is a contributor to all of these negative trends we’ve seen since the cell phones came out.”
While in previous years it has generally been against the rules for students to be on their cellphones during lessons, this new rule takes it a step further, leaving some students unhappy.
“I use my phone to play my music and headphones when we have independent work,” junior Avagail Schaule said. “I feel like if there’s a no-phone policy, the kids are just going to get more and more disrespectful and rowdy because they don’t have anything to calm themselves down.”
Many teachers regularly incorporate the use of technology into their lessons, and this policy will not allow them to continue doing that.
“I think that it will help improve people paying attention in the classroom,” senior Reagan Moellering said. “I don’t know if it’s going to make everybody happy though. I think it’s kind of just going to make people upset more than anything.”
Some teachers argue that despite their capabilities, phones are hardly used to their full potential.
“If you look at cellphones and their use, over 80% of it is for entertainment,” Fowler said. “Maybe you’re supposed to do something productive with it, but you’re going to get distracted.”
A major question that has emerged is the complications of enforcing this policy. In the end, there are many questions of what the consequences of phones and devices will be.
“People are going to fight back,” junior Krystal Maxwell said. “I can already tell it’s going to be a big thing. People are always going to rebel.”
