Georgia House advances bill to ban cellphones in K-8 classrooms statewide

Yahoo

06-03-2025

The Brief
A statewide ban on cellphones in classrooms takes a step closer to becoming a reality.
The Georgia House approved a bill that would prohibit students from kindergarten through eighth grade from using all personal electronic devices during school hours.
Right now, a number of schools around metro Atlanta are testing out similar programs.
ATLANTA - A bill working its way through the Georgia General Assembly would ban cellphones in the state.
It expands upon an idea that some school districts are already doing.
The backstory
The Georgia House on Tuesday passed a bill that would prohibit students K-through-8 across the state from accessing their personal electronic devices during school hours. The proposed ban would include smartphones, smartwatches, tablets and headphones.
A number of schools in metro Atlanta are testing out cellphone bans, including Midtown High School, middle schools in Marietta and some schools in DeKalb County.
What they're saying
Supporters say the proposed ban on devices would cut down on distractions in the classroom.
A teachers' union and the parents we spoke with agree. Pamela Haggerty has a daughter in the 9th grade and a son in the 11th grade at Midtown High School.
The school already has a policy mandating that personal electronic devices be put away while students are in class. "I think it's fantastic," Haggerty said. "I know my kids aren't happy; my kids are not going to like it. I love that they don't have their devices here."
Haggerty says that a proposal to ban smart devices in schools across Georgia is a good idea. "I'm very pro phones being locked up during school hours," Haggerty said.
State Rep. Scott Hilton, R-48th district, chairs the Information and Audits Committee and sponsors the Distraction-Free Education Act. "Cellphones would not be allowed in the classroom during academic time from bell to bell," Hilton said. "Cellphone usage is a problem in our classrooms, kids are spending upwards of 90 minutes, some are receiving up to 237 notifications during the school day. It's just a distraction from learning."
Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, supports the measure. "Devices in our classrooms have become a significant discipline issue," morgan said. The bill "will certainly help students concentrate on better and it will help teachers having more students concentration on the lesson."
Under the new proposal, each district would have to devise plans to enforce the ban, including cellphone pouches, lockers in classrooms or other methods. "All students in the district will have the same policy, you'll know what the policy is, and you won't have ambiguity in the policy," Morgan said.
Dig deeper
The bill would make exceptions. Students with disabilities or with medical needs would be able to access their devices.
The bill is now in the state senate. If the senate passes the bill and the governor signs it, the bill would apply for the 2026-27 school year.
SEE ALSO:
Expert shares tips for managing your child's cellphone use
Marietta City Schools shares details on cellphone ban
Cellphone ban: DeKalb County Schools approves $400K for smartphone pouch pilot program
Apalachee High School shooting highlights fears about cellphone bans in class
The Source
State Rep. Scott Hilton and Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Association of Educators.