Have you heard about the new phone bans in schools? Or about Instagram’s time and usage restrictions? As much of the community is already familiar with, because of increasing criticism and studies surrounding the negative effects of social media, school and apps around the country have began to take a stand. As technology continues to dominate, scientists, innovators and school administrators have responded with many new rules and restrictions, including phone bans and usage restrictions.
In a study done by scientists Jonathan Haidt and Nick Allen, it was discovered that the usage of technology and social media directly links to depression. Around the time when teens began to use social media in 2012, depression rates notably increased. Now in 2024, depression rates have skyrocketed. Before teens began to use technolgy, the avergae depression rate around the country was at around 12.5 percent. However, today that percentage stands at just under 25%. Although this study focused on depression, social media and phone usage also contributes to an increase in anxiety levels, violence, poor performance in school, and overall productivity.
Because of this study and thousands of others, many states have begun to implement phone bans during the school day. California governor Gavin Newsom passed The Phone-Free Schools Act, requiring a ban of social media and phones during school hours. By July 1 2026, all schools in the state will be required to ban phones. As of Sep 6, 2024, nine states across the country have banned phones in schools. Georgia is not one of them.
However, many schools in the state of Georgia have banned phone usage during school hours. The Marrieta City School Board recently voted to ban phones in their schools, requiring students to put all phones and smartwatches away for the entirety of the school day. Similarly, the Atlanta Public Schools have prohibited the use of all cell phones, watches, tablets, and headphones. The City Schools of Decatur and The Liberty County Board of Education in South Georgia have followed suit and implemented similar bans. Although many districts around Atlanta have implemented changes, some districts oppose phone bans. In a discussion between The Cobb County School District and Axios Atlanta, the district told Axios that will not be implementing phone bans during the school day. “Parents decide what is best for their children regarding phones, and teachers implement what works best in the classroom,” the district argued. Other districts in agreement include Clayton, DeKalb and Gwinnett.
In the Pace community, phone bans have been implemented in the Middle School, requiring Middle School students to leave their phones at home or with their parents before being dropped off at school. In the High School, while phones are not banned, many teachers require students to place their phones and watches into buckets before sitting down in class. This is aimed to reduce distractions and increase focus and learning ability. In order to reduce phone and social media usage, the Student Advisory Board (SAB) is offering students the opportunity to participate in “unplugged” days, where students can turn in their phones at the start of the school day. Once the school day is complete, students receive their phones back along with a prize. Junior Anna Kate Shelton mentioned how much she enjoys these day. “I feel so much more productive and spend much more of my time talking face-to-face with my friends. And when I make it through the whole day without using my phone, I feel very accomplished.”
