Effective in the 2025-2026 school year, the Missouri legislature introduced Senate Bill 68 with the aim of enacting a statewide ban on personal electronic devices during the school day. This decision initially met with considerable backlash from students who saw it as an unnecessary restriction on their freedom. However, as the year has progressed, many have seemingly adapted to this new policy, and the results have been surprisingly positive.
The hope amongst teachers seems to have been that a limit on device usage would lead to an increase in genuine student interaction and a decrease in the use of artificial intelligence on schoolwork. While idealistic, these goals have been proven to be at least partially true.
Walking through the halls or sitting in the cafeteria, one would be surprised to see more students talking to one another as opposed to scrolling on their phones. Notes are being passed in classrooms again, and even handwritten letters have made a comeback.
In many ways, the phone ban has created a sense of nostalgia for a time many students today have only seen in movies. There’s something refreshing watching students rediscover boredom, and seeing how quickly it turns into creativity. When they don’t have a device close at hand, students turn to talking, sketching, or coming up with games to pass the time. It may be small, but it feels genuine.
However, this transition hasn’t been easy for everyone, and it is likely that some frustration will linger throughout the remainder of the year. Many students complained about not being able to contact their parents at a moment’s notice, which would be important in the case of an emergency situation. Even so, if the policy continues to foster genuine student interaction, then perhaps the phone ban is worthwhile.
