Atlanta (AP) – More states are moving Prohibit or restrict mobile phones Schools tend to continue to gain bipartisan support in Congress.
The Georgia senator voted 54-2 on Tuesday to give final approval to a bill that would ban students from using phones and other personal devices during school day. The measure will be sent to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto.
Currently, nine states have banned calls at schools, but that number will soon rise. Similar bills this year have been passed extensively in New Mexico, Tennessee and Utah, awaiting action by governors of those states. Other states also take measures at a rapid pace.
That’s what the promotion of the ban on mobile phones I’m worried Regarding impact screen times, affecting children’s mental health and teacher complaints has always made mobile phones a distraction in the classroom.
“The bill is not just about academics, it’s about the happiness of students,” Georgia Sen. Jason Anavitalte, a Dallas state Sen., said in a discussion Tuesday. House Bill 340. “Studies have linked excessive phone use to mental health issues, and are linked to declining social skills and increased bullying. Students want students to engage in school, interact with friends during lunchtime, and concentrate in the classroom.”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 77% of US schools say they have banned mobile phones at schools due to non-academic use. But that number is misleading. It doesn’t mean that students follow those bans or all schools implement them.
Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia have enacted measures to prohibit or restrict cell phone use at schools.
The details of the measurements vary greatly. According to the Georgia bill, students cannot access personal devices at any time during school day, but enforcement is up to the local school district. While some Georgia districts already use lock pouches, schools can instruct students to leave their phones in their lockers and hand them over to teachers, or use an online application to disable them. Students who need devices that help monitor their medical conditions and overcome intellectual disabilities can use them.
Other states allow you to use phones and other devices in some circumstances. For example, the Utah bill allows schools to allow classroom use under local policies.
Although Georgia does not provide additional funding, supporters suggest that school safety subsidies may be available annually if districts need to purchase porches and other equipment. The New Mexico bill secures $10 million in aid for local schools to help fund adoption
Opposition to the proposal is often centered on concerns that students and parents cannot contact each other in emergencies. Many students communicated with parents and emergency services when students killed two students and two teachers at Appalachie High School in northeastern Atlanta. Use their mobile phone.
Sen. Rashaun Kemp, a Democrat in Atlanta, said he is voting for the bill. However, he appealed to his Republican colleagues to restrict guns to stop school shootings.
“What if that phone could save lives in an active shooter situation?” Kemp said, “These are real concerns as parents and what we all normally think about. What if that phone call was my last chance for my child to communicate with me?”
However, supporters of the ban note that student phones can pose additional risks in emergencies by not distracting students in emergencies or revealing their location in active shooter situations.
Randy Robertson, a Republican Sen. from Catora, said the job of parents is to “sit down, take responsibility and trust the school to follow the emergency action plan. Their phone calls cannot be answered as their children’s phones are locked in.”
For others, however, the bill has not progressed well. They want to see the ban extend to high schools. Scott Hilton, a Republican Rep. from Peachtree Corner, who sponsors the bill, said it is likely in a future session.
“The bill is a step in the right direction, but it’s not the beginning, it’s not the end,” said the Atlanta Democrat. “Let’s ensure that all students, from kindergarten to 12th grade, have the opportunity to learn freely from unnecessary distractions.”
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