The introduction of Senate Bill 142 in Arkansas public schools will drastically change everyday life for students. No longer will students be able to scroll mindlessly on TikTok during boring lessons, take photos of their teacher’s slides for future study sessions, or contact their parent during a school lockdown. Bill 142 will “Prohibit the use of a personal electronic device during the school day” (Section 3C.2) leaving no exceptions for students who may need to contact their parents for time-specific information, or vice versa. “Tablet, notebook, or laptop computer” (Section 3A.2G) “The rise of cell phone and social media use by young people is leading to unintended and, at times, harmful consequences to the academic and mental well-being of young people” (Section 2A.1) This bill introduces the idea that the government can and will take away personal belongings, and if damaged in their possession, have no responsibility to reimburse the owner. It states that schools, “shall not be liable for a personal electronic device that is confiscated… if the personal electronic device is lost, stolen, or damaged” (Section 3G). In the event of this, it seems that Huckabee is making students and parents pay for their damaged or lost personal devices, even though the fault is with the school’s mishandling. Bill 142 likes to believe that its plans are foolproof, but like the section that says it will, “Exempt the possession or use of a personal electronic device during an emergency.”

(Section 3C.5), it does not deliver the necessary protocol needed to back up their claims. It instills these high asks for public schools to carry out, but does little to fill in how these schools could accomplish this. It does not give schools ideas on how to effectively give students back their phones in situations where it could be possible, and even less for situations where walking around campus is unsafe for any person. While this bill aims to prevent student distraction and cheatin during classes, it fails to recognize the root of these problems. Students who truly want to learn will learn, but if the lesson isn’t engaging or the class is not motivated, they will not learn. Instead of blaming cell phones and electronic devices, teachers need to adapt their teaching styles or enforce a no-phone in-class policy, with higher re-percussions.

Bill 142 has the motive, but not the planning needed to accomplish such a life-changing bill. To fully enact this bill, Huckabee and the senate need to understand the multitudes of holes in their bill.