Bell to Bell, No Cell Act- The Pros and Cons

The Bell to Bell, No Cell Act is a new bill that will be enforced across Arkansas public schools during the 2025-2026 school year. This policy effectively bans all personal devices from being on or in use during the school day. When asked about her motive for the bill, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated, “We have seen a staggering rise in mental illness among young people over the past decade. The culprit is clear: unrestricted access to smartphones and social media.”

The bill includes two specific exceptions to the act. One: phones may be used in an emergency (defined as a serious, unexpected, and dangerous situation that requires immediate action). Two: Students with accommodations like IEPs (Individual Education Plans) can request exceptions for their devices. These two exceptions may seem like they solve the obvious issues, but that is far from the truth. For starters, in a true emergency, students should not have to worry about retrieving and powering on their phones. Having 20 kids trying to do this in a possible life or death scenario adds another level of chaos and could end up costing students their lives. As far as accommodations go, we cannot just assume that every child who needs accommodations has them. Diagnosis is expensive, schools are criminally underfunded in special education, and many neurodivergent youth, especially girls, fly under the radar. Additionally, Many schools, especially smaller charters, don’t have enough school devices for all of their scholars. Students also use their phones and personal devices for communication with their parents or guardians. Life is very unpredictable, and it’s comforting to be able to immediately send a message.  

Furthermore, many people see flaws in Governor Sanders’ motive for the bill. Her statement about a rise in mental health issues over the past decade can be backed up, since according to the CDC, the United States is experiencing a ‘Youth Mental Health Crisis.” Mental health is something that has to be taken seriously, but it is unfair to place the blame on social media alone. For one, the past decade includes the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly every child in the K-12 school system during the 2025-2026 school year was under the age of 12 during lockdown. Besides the obvious effects that isolation has on developing children, 2020 brought a period of awareness for mental health and its importance. It can be argued that part of the rise in mental illness is because of it being destigmatised and youth feeling more comfortable reaching out for help. 

Even though there are clear flaws in this bill, there are some pros. Education has become unappreciated by many students. Phones and computers allow further opportunity for cheating and low-effort school work. The past few years have also brought a rise in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Many students proudly use AI in school despite the educational and environmental impact. In theory, banning personal devices would slow, or even stop, AI use. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The biggest issue with this bill is that it simply won’t work. Many, if not most, schools have had some sort of phone ban within the past decade. But stricter rules create sneakier kids. The youth will continue to access their phones, whether that's for better or worse. 

This bill is a perfect example of what happens when our legislators try to solve complex problems with simple solutions. You cannot ban personal devices in a technology-focused era and expect there to be no backlash.

Act 122 of the Regular Session, arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=/ACTS/2025R/Public/ACT122.pdf. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025. 

“Governor Sanders Announces Bill to Make Every Arkansas School Go Phone-Free - Arkansas Governor - Sarah Huckabee Sanders.” Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 29 Jan. 2025, governor.arkansas.gov/news_post/governor-sanders-announces-bill-to-make-every-arkansas-school-go-phone-free/. 

“Youth Mental Health: The Numbers.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/healthy-youth/mental-health/mental-health-numbers.html. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025. 

Shiloh Hodoway, Rogers, AR, 12th grade, Instagram- @rlhesq