ATLANTA — A new study shows teens are spending an alarming rate on their cell phones while in school.
Teens spend an hour and a half on their phones at school every day and nearly 25% of students were looking at social media or messaging apps, according to the study.
The author of the study also suggests that more research needs to be done to help schools enforce stricter rules.
Some metro Atlanta school districts have banned cell phone usage during school hours, while others have made similar proposals.
In July 2024, the DeKalb County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the proposal to ban cell phone use.
“Research is clearly showing that students with cell phones in the class, their attention levels are being reduced,” Dr. Darnell Logan, the Director of Student Relations previously said.
According to Logan, a school district in DeKalb County had 306 students tally their cellphone notifications during a 30-minute period. One of the middle school classes had 976 notifications in just a half hour.
In Marietta, a similar proposal was made in 2024 that would require students to lock their phones in a pouch during school hours.
After cell phones were banned in Marietta middle schools, teachers reported students were “more focused and engaging with each other.”