The Missouri Senate has passed a bill that aims to ban the use of cell phones in the state’s public schools.
Sen. Mike Henderson, R-Deloge, is proposing to require that districts adopt a policy prohibiting cell phone use during school hours, with exceptions for emergencies, instructional purposes, or when authorized under federal law.
Henderson said that cellphones are “a real problem.”
“This would prohibit students from using an electronic personal communication device from the beginning of the school day to the end of the school day,” said Henderson. “This is commonly referred to as bell-to-bell, they’re not going to be using their cell phones. This includes instructional time, mealtimes, breaks, and between classes, study hall, and field trips.”
Henderson’s bill has been endorsed by fellow Republican, Gov. Mike Kehoe.
It’s simple—cell phones have no place in Missouri classrooms.
To support stronger academic performance and protect the mental health of students statewide, Missouri needs distraction-free classrooms.
That’s why I am urging the General Assembly to pass Senator Henderson’s SB…
— Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) February 25, 2025
“We’re losing about an hour and a half of instructional time per day with students being on their cell phone when there actually should be instructional time, and they should be learning,” explained Henderson. “There’s cheating. Talk to any teacher in the classroom, they’re cheating using their cell phones. There’s sexting, that should alarm every parent out there.”
Another provision would require schools to report all safety incidents and credible threats to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Henderson said he wants to make sure crimes involving school safety or credible threats are being reported.
“DESE will provide the procedure that will have the criteria to help schools know what to report, a timeline for reporting, and anything else necessary,” he said. “It’ll be done by building and school district. So what we’re trying to do here, really pretty simply, is we’re telling them that if we have crimes happening in the school, we want to make sure they’re reported.”
The House now has the bill and will take a look at the measure.
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