Georgia politicians have recently passed a bill called the Distraction-Free Education Act, which includes a statewide ban on student cellphone use during school hours. This bill plans to take place starting in the 2026 school year, however some Cobb County schools, along with many other Georgia counties, have chosen to enact cellphone bans in the 2025 school year.

Banning phones from students won't end disruptive behavior in students, and will only cause them to move on to other forms of disruption. On the other hand, banning phones will reduce the ability for students to contact parents in emergencies, such as active shooters, and make it more difficult for students to contact emergency services.

These policies only serve as a blanket solution, and fail to address root issues for improve student behavior, while exasperating communication issues during active emergencies.

We urge the Cobb County School District to reconsider their 2025 ban on Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs), and urge the Georgia General Assembly to amend this Act to ensure students can maintain communication with parents during school emergencies.