As the new school year began, students were faced with new rules that forced them to abandon their personal devices during the school day. Many students weren’t too fond of the new regulations, others didn’t have too much of a problem.
A new Missouri law (Senate Bill 68) now requires all public schools to restrict student use of personal electronic communication devices throughout the school day. Phones are no longer allowed to be used inside schools, if they are brought in, they are to be powered off and put in lockers or bags.
“The phone policy hasn’t really affected me as much as I thought it would, the only bad part is it makes the day go much slower, I always used to get on my phone when I had nothing to do and now I can’t do that,” senior Ryan Fajen said.
Before the law was passed, many students, and people in general, had a major attachment to their phones. Disengagement had taken place, but now more engagement has been noticed. a notice in involvement with each other has been noticed.
“Students – and really anyone today – are very attached to their phones. This is the way that our society has become over several years. Over that time, we have all become distant and have been less engaged in conversation with each other. Since we have stopped allowing students to have their phones, I have noticed that we are communicating more and I believe that will continue to become more normal as time goes on. This will impact the students in positive ways now and as they grow into adults where good communication skills will help to make them successful,” assistant principal Nathan Parker said.
The policy is not restricted to just cell phones, but any personal technology used to send, receive, store, or view information. This includes tablets, smartwatches, gaming devices, earbuds or headphones, AI glasses and laptops.
The policy has been a major change, and does have some cons along with its pros. Not every student, or person, quite agrees with the policy and would gladly change it if the option was in their own hands.
Some benefits include the removal of distraction.
“Students are communicating with each other, students are not arguing about social media nearly as much at school, students are not distracted from their school work,” Parker said.
“It makes me get my work and it keeps people out of trouble,” Fajen said.
Some of the disadvantages include lack of connectivity.
“Few students are working on sneaking a look at their phone. Whether it be in the classroom or restroom, students are still finding a way to have them” Parker said.
“Constantly being bored and tired,” Fajen said.
The phone ban was not a law passed to torture students. An idea to help students improve in school, extra curricular activities, and outside of school activities as well.