ATLANTA (AP) — More states are moving to ban or restrict cellphones in school, a trend that continues to win bipartisan support in legislatures. Senators in Georgia voted 54-2 on Tuesday to give final approval to a bill that would bans students in grades K-8 from using phones or other personal electronic devices during the school day. The measure goes to Republican Gov.
Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. Currently, nine states ban phones in school, but that number will likely soon rise. Similar bills this year have passed by wide margins in New Mexico, Tennessee and Utah and await action by those states’ governors.
Measures are also progressing rapidly in other states. The push for cellphone bans has been about the impact screen time has on children’s mental health and complaints from teachers that cellphones have become a constant distraction in the classroom. “This bill isn’t just about academics, it’s about students’ well-being,” Republican Georgia state Sen.
Jason Anavitarte of Dallas said during debate Tuesday on . “Studies link excessive phone use to mental health issues, decreasing social skills, and an increase in bullying. We want students engaged in school, socializing with friends during lunch and focusing in the classroom.
” Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for nonacademic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following.