MARIETTA, Ga. — The Marietta School Board is meeting to discuss what a cell phone ban could look like, for high school students. The policy went into effect for middle schoolers at the start of the school year.
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Marietta City Middle schoolers began locking their phones in a pouch at the start of the school year.
“Based on the feedback we’ve gotten from staff it’s a completely different school. Completely different classrooms. Completely different kids,” Marietta City Schools Superintendent Dr. Grant said.
Now, there are discussions about what the policy could look like in the high school.
“For us, the success we’ve had with decreasing distractions and increasing engagement has led us to have a conversation about what could things look like for Marietta High School next year,” Rivera told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell.
School officials will spend the next three months speaking with staff, students and parents about it.
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“Do I believe as superintendent this a worth conversation to have? Absolutely. Do I acknowledge that it is not politically popular among teenagers absolutely? Of course. We are bottling an addiction with children,” Rivera said.
A junior created a petition against banning cell phones in the high school.
“We are not happy about it. Based on all the responses from the petition everyone’s really concerned about their safety because there have been gun threats. Like last year there was an incident,” Madison Moreland, a junior at Marietta High School.
“I welcome a child’s petition. We talk as adults and educators all the time about empowering our kids’ voices. I want them to have a voice,” Rivera said.
Teachers can unlock the pouches and give the phones to students, only if it is safe to do such in the event of an emergency, like a school shooting.
A final decision has not been made about expanding this policy to the high school.
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