House Bill 2230 has been introduced in Missouri, targeting elementary-age students and aiming to limit the use of technology in classrooms.

Concerns about student retention and the effects of online and digital learning have pushed the bill forward.

“My gut reaction is that all options should be available to older kids, at least middle school students, like having both an online version of a text and a hard copy,” Geoffrey Brodie said. “I like having the option for both. This bill restricts technology, and I’m not sure restricting it will make things much better. Usually when you restrict things, it kind of goes wrong. Kids associate technology less with education and more as just part of life in general.”

One example often cited by lawmakers is the 2024 “Technology and Higher Ed Student Retention Study,” in which just over 50 percent of students reported their learning was moderately affected by technology in school.

“I think it can be a good thing if used responsibly. With great power comes great responsibility, like Ben Parker said,” Addison Casey said. “If something like that came to Burke, it would be kind of stupid because we use iPads every day in all of our classes. The iPad makes it easier if you can’t be at school and still need to complete work.”

As of now, House Bill 2230 focuses on limiting technology time for most students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Artemis Wright (11) said. “There are a lot of kids who aren’t at reading level, and technology is a major part of it. Kids’ attention spans are lower because of how much time they spend with their faces in screens. Some kids can’t even spell their own name, and it’s sad.”