Georgia's Cellphone Ban: Should It Go Beyond Middle School?

Georgia is thinking about expanding its cellphone ban in schools. Right now, the rule only applies to students from kindergarten to eighth grade starting in the 2026-2027 school year. But the state's education department wants lawmakers to include high school students too. Many teachers in Georgia are on board with this idea. A recent survey showed that 90% of the 3, 000 teachers who responded support extending the ban to high school. They also believe that banning phones all day won't affect school safety, which was a big concern for lawmakers. Some schools in metro Atlanta have already taken steps to keep phones out of sight. They've bought special pouches or lockers to store phones during the school day. Others have rules that require students to keep their phones in their bags. The idea of expanding the ban isn't new. The person who wrote the original bill, State Rep. Scott Hilton, said he hoped it would be expanded in the future. But there are concerns about older students who need to use their phones for things like jobs or activities outside of school. Georgia isn't alone in this. As of August, 35 other states have similar laws or rules about cellphone use in schools. The next legislative session in Georgia starts on January 12, 2026.