Bill to ban cellphones in Georgia high schools moving closer to becoming law

A statewide cellphone ban in high schools is closer to being in effect in Georgia.

The Georgia House approved the bill in February. Now the proposal needs to make it through the Senate and be signed by Gov. Brian Kemp. On Wednesday, a Senate committee voted to send it to the full body’s consideration.

The ban would apply for the school day and forbid the use of cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, and headphones.

Lawmakers say this will help educators keep students focused.

Residents of Winder, Georgia, are wary of the bill following the 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School.

“The first phone call came from a student inside the building, if that doesn’t tell you how important these phones are. I mean, it’s a lifeline,” said Layla Contreras, whose sister was a junior at Apalachee High School at the time of the shooting. “The only way I knew she was alive was just by Find My iPhone, seeing if she was moving around of some sort.”

Other parents feel good about the bill.

“In case of a crazy emergency, you know your kids are surrounded by people who love them and are going to take care of them,” said Pam Haggerty, a mother of two Midtown High School students.

Haggerty’s kids are already under a cellphone ban at their school.

“I think the biggest thing is that it’s no longer a distraction in class for the teachers to have to yell at the children,” said Haggerty.

A local company is working on a solution to appease parents.

“These pouches are a new solution in distraction-free technology. It’s called a Cyber Pouch,”said John Mecum, with Cellairis. “It’s a signal-blocking pouch that, when a device is placed within the confines of the pouch, it’s completely blocked from sending or receiving signals.”

Students can keep their phones with them and access them in case of emergency, but it makes it noisy to get to their devices.

“An industrial strength velcro seal that when opened acts as an auditory deterrent which alerts everyone in the classroom, whether it’s students, teachers, that the pouch itself is being opened,” said Mecum.

Polk County School District is utilizing the pouches to control phone use on its campuses.

A cell phone ban law was already passed last legislative session for elementary and middle schools. Students who have a medical plan that requires the use of the device would still be allowed to access it as necessary.

If signed into law, the bill would take effect at the end of the year.