On July 9, 2025 Missouri Governor, Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 68 which said: “At a minimum, the policy shall prohibit students from using or displaying these devices from the beginning until the end of the school day, including, but not limited to, during instructional time, meal times, breaks, time between classes and study halls.
This requires any electronic communications usage, including cell phones, wireless earbuds and smart watches, to be out of sight during school hours.
The consequences were outlined in a letter sent out to all the parents of PHS students. All of the offenses of disobeying the state law will insist on the device being kept in the office for the rest of the day and returned to the student at the end of the day. The first consequence will consist of a written warning and an email to your parents. The second consequence for getting it taken will be a lunch detention and a call to your guardian. The third consequence for getting it taken will be 1 day of after school detention and also in school suspension for that whole day. The fourth consequence will be three days of in school suspension and will add one day every time it gets taken again after that.
PHS junior Drew Parmley said, “The phone law is good. When in class there should be no phones to help learning.” Parmley adds to that by saying, “But I also feel like it would be reasonable to let students have their device during lunch or passing time.” Lastly Parmley said, “Not having phones helps people communicate and have social skills in school rather than texting on phones all day.”
PHS Principal Mr. Mothersbaugh said, “I think they are some good things to this law. I like how there are more social conversations and I like how we are now offered new opportunities to improve in learning.”
