Christian County lawmaker proposes law requiring school districts to have a cell phone policy

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - A Christian County lawmaker proposed a bill to force school districts to develop a cell phone policy.

Missouri House Bill 408, introduced by 140th District State Rep. Jamie Gragg, requires school districts to have a cell phone policy to promote devices put away during instructional hours.

“This is not saying schools you have to do this schools you have to do it this direction. This is where we took the bare minimum; schools make a policy, that’s it. And then this is the minimum just not during instructional time. If you take all the studies of cell phones in schools of adolescents using cell phones. they all go to there is a distraction,” said State Rep. Gragg.

He explained why he filed the bill this legislative session.

“The reason for the bill is because in those schools that do have cell phone policies or even some of those classrooms that do for the school may not, they noticed that the assignment scores go up, the test scores go up. Kids are paying more attention, so that’s the reason for ultimately what our schools are for: to teach our kids and teach them well,” said State Rep. Gragg.

He wants students bringing electronic telecommunications devices into any of the school district’s elementary or secondary school buildings or on the grounds during regularly scheduled instructional activities to turn them off and properly store them.

“I think that every district, and many of our members, have experienced frustration with students who are distracted. And there are lots of things that can distract a student in a classroom,” says Todd Fuller with the Missouri State Teachers Association.

Fuller with the Missouri State Teachers Association said removing distractions leads to more engagement in the classroom.

“And anytime that distraction is taken away, it leads to more engaging conversation. It leads to more engaging learning in the classroom,” said Fuller.

The Clever School District has a cell phone policy in place for students.

“Between classes and lunch, we allow them to be on their phones to check their messages, check and see what they are missing out on. But for the most part, we don’t want them out in class,” said Clever High School principal Joe Casey.

Its cell phone policy is similar to that of the HB 408.

“I think it, as a general rule, is a benefit. I think teenagers, then getting down in the middle school ages and younger with cell phones as a general rule, need boundaries,” said Casey.

State Rep. Gragg said the bill is designed to require districts to have a cell phone policy rather than mandate how they regulate cell phones in schools. He says research shows that students who attend a school district with a cell phone policy have higher grades and test scores. The Clever High principal agrees.

“Walking through classrooms, seeing our teachers in action, seeing our students in action, when they are truly engaged in what they are doing in the classroom, it makes all the difference in the world,” says Casey.

Lawmakers referred the bill to the Missouri House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education. Click here to read the bill.

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