COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A statewide ban on cell phones in the classroom for Georgia students will now head to the governor’s desk for final approval.
On Tuesday, House Bill 340 passed the Senate with overwhelming support. Sen. Jason Anavitarte, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, spoke with Channel 2’s Richard Elliot just moments after the bill was passed.
“Simply put - phones need to put away and we must be sensitive to what parents and teachers want,” Anavitarte said.
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Marietta Schools Superintendent Grant Rivera, who helped spearhead the statewide effort after implementing a similar ban in the district’s two middle schools, told Channel 2′s Brittany Kleinpeter that the positive impact was undeniable.
“For us we’ve got children telling us even though they don’t like it, they need it,” Rivera said.
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The school superintendent adding that over the last year, 68% of the teachers at Marietta Middle School reported being less stressed and 22% of 8th grade students reported an increase in their ability to learn.
“The teacher could teach better, and they could learn better as a result of a phone-free classroom,” Rivera added.
Marietta Middle School parents like Kayla Sargent told Channel 2 Action News that they’ve seen the positive impacts of a cell ban.
“My middle school’s functioning academically and socially has improved greatly since the ban,” Sargent said. “I know teachers really appreciate it as well, so I’ve been very enthusiastic about the tech progress the district has made.”
However, some parents like Bryan Williams say they’re apprehensive about the ban due to security concerns.
“I would want my kid to have their cell phone in school for those dangerous moments and those moments where they need me,” Williams said.
The Distraction-Free Education Act prohibits public school students in grades kindergarten through eight from accessing personal electronic devices during the school day. That includes smartphones, headphones, tablets and smartwatches.
School-issued electronic devices can still be used, and school districts also would have come up with policies on storing devices and consequences for violations.
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