Some Atlanta-area schools ban student cellphone use in class

Some Atlanta area schools are moving to limit daytime cellphone use for students.

The big picture: A growing number of schools across the country are changing their cellphone policies amid increasing concerns and research showing how they can negatively affect the mental health of younger children and teens.

The latest: The Marietta City School Board on Tuesday unanimously voted to restrict the use of cellphones for students who attend its middle schools.

• The policy was put in place following the input of parents, staff and students, and is backed by research "highlighting the detrimental effects of excessive device use on student well-being," the district said in a press release .

What they're saying: "School should be a place to learn and grow," superintendent Grant Rivera said in a statement. "That can't happen if students are distracted by their phones. This solution will create a more focused and supportive educational environment."

How it works: Starting Aug. 1, students will have to put their phones and smartwatches into Yondr pouches assigned to them when they arrive at school.

• Students will be allowed to hang on to the pouches, which will be locked, throughout the day.
• Pouches will be unlocked in the last five minutes of the final period, the district said on its FAQ page .
• Marietta City Schools will make exceptions for students with medical conditions that are documented with the district.

Between the lines: Marietta City Schools spokesperson Chris Fiore told Axios that the district will pilot the program for its middle school students, and will later consider expanding it to high schoolers.

• "We recognize that there's a problem at the high school level," he said, adding some parents have also expressed concerns about smartwatches in elementary schools.

The other side: The Cobb County School District told Axios it has no plans to change its current policy on student cellphone use.

• "Parents decide what is best for their children regarding phones, and teachers implement what works best in the classroom."
• Representatives from Clayton, DeKalb and Gwinnett county school systems told Axios they don't have policies similar to Marietta City Schools' new rules.

Zoom in: A similar policy will also go into effect at Midtown High School, Atlanta Public Schools spokesperson Seth Coleman told Axios.

• Students will be prohibited from using cellphones, smartwatches, tablets, earbuds and headphones at the start of the 2024-25 school year.
• Like Marietta, Midtown students will place their devices in lockable pouches and can access their items at the end of the day.
• At Decatur High School, students will be required to place their phones in secure lockers at the beginning of each class and will get those phones back once the period is over, City Schools of Decatur spokesperson Mikkal Hart Murunga told Axios.
• In South Georgia, the Liberty County Board of Education enacted a similar ban last week using the pouches.

Context: While most districts have rules in place that require students to turn off and put away devices during school hours, they don't require students to place them in lockable bags.

Zoom out: The Los Angeles Unified School District on Tuesday voted to ban cellphone and social media use for its more than 429,000 students during the school day.

• Crackdowns have also been enacted in the Minneapolis metro area and a state law went into effect this year in Ohio that requires schools to limit cellphone use in schools.