Eagle’s View: Perspectives on Missouri’s Controversial Phone Ban

Jakai Robinson

"As someone who has been accustomed to using my phone as a second academic resource my whole life, the phone ban was definitely a huge adjustment. Originally, I found myself pessimistic and only focusing on the negatives and foreseen feelings of boredom I thought I would have. While I wish there were some adjustments to the law—exceptions during lunch periods, the use of other personal devices, and teachers choosing when to enact the rule—I believe this law was truly a beneficial decision for me and many students. Now in class, I've noticed my enhanced ability to retain information long-term rather than just chasing the A+ grade. I can apply the knowledge I learn each day to real-life experiences since I am more attentive in class and fully understand the concepts taught. This phone ban has helped me realize that while personal technology could be seen as a useful tool, it can also be seen as a great distraction. Even though students are told that constantly, I never fully agreed until I experienced it firsthand, school with and without my electronic device."

Meghan Rose

"As a junior at Orchard Farm, I have experienced high school with and without the phone ban. In previous years, I have found myself distracted by my phone and struggled to pay attention in class. Although my grades did not reflect the distraction, my ability to retain information did. This year, when coming into school, I was not sure what to expect from the phone ban. I thought it would be hard to go without my phone, or that it wouldn’t be effective in preventing distractions, but I quickly realized that school is easier without it. Even though we can no longer check for club updates or see if we have a club meeting on our phones, it has put me into a better habit of checking my email, which prepares me for the future."

Lily Bauer

"Beginning the year with the new rule has been very challenging and tempting. For the last two years, I’ve felt like using my phone in high school was a benefit. I could text my mom if I needed and I used my phone to do my work. I think that the phone ban was unfair to students and that even if they aren’t allowed in classes, they should still be allowed to use them during lunch. The one break in school we get is lunch, and while socializing is nice sometimes, I just want to go on my phone and take a break from everything. We aren’t able to use AirPods, Apple Watches or personal computers. For me, I have no other form of headphones, so I really can’t listen to things on my Chromebook unless I want to play the audio aloud. Last year, I would’ve just connected them to my Chromebook if I needed to, but now I can’t. I understand getting distracted, but you could honestly get distracted from anything, so what difference does it make?"

Gracie Pfautsch

"In my opinion, the phone ban in school has been beneficial. Although I find myself constantly wanting to look at my phone, it is rewarding to see my screen time go down. Last year, when I would finish an assignment in class, I would go straight to my phone. Since this is no longer possible, I have created better time management skills for myself. Instead of scrolling on TikTok, I complete my work for other classes. This has allowed me to spend less time at home working on schoolwork and to stay on top of assignments. When I do still have work to do at home, I no longer have the habit of picking up my phone and taking multiple “phone” breaks while working. Overall, the phone ban has helped me to become a better and more productive student."

Teachers at Orchard Farm High School also shared their thoughts on the phone ban. According to a survey, 63.6% of teachers strongly agree that the phone ban has positively affected their classes, while 36.4% agree. Teachers noted increased student socialization, attentiveness, engagement, and improved time management. One teacher commented, "I think the phone ban has helped students be able to engage in the classroom more and do better academically. I think it has also resulted in more face-to-face interaction among students." Some teachers mentioned negatives, such as more disruptions in class and the inability to use phones for learning opportunities, though some saw no negative effects. Another teacher remarked, "I think overall it has been a huge wake-up call for this generation. Honestly, I think they didn't realize how big of an impact and distraction their phone was. They are more productive at school and have created a better learning environment for themselves. I also think some students secretly enjoy it because it gives them a reason to put their phone away, where they may not have had the intrinsic motivation to put it away themselves."