Most Georgia Parents Support Banning Cellphones in High Schools, New Poll Finds

A recent poll of Georgia parents shows more than two-thirds (71%) support expanding the state’s recent ban on personal cellphones in K-8 schools to include high schools.

The Emory Center for Child Health Policy polled parents of school-age children between October and November 2025 and found parents supporting the high school cellphone ban feel it will improve students’ academic focus and learning (88%), foster better in-person social interactions (71%), and improve student mental health and well-being (69%).

This comes at a time when more than nine in 10 (93%) of high school students in Georgia are using social media and social gaming platforms and spending nearly five hours per day on screens for entertainment, the poll found.

Georgia parents who oppose a cellphone ban primarily have safety concerns. Among the 29% of parents who do not support a ban, most (75%) are concerned about being disconnected from their child during a school emergency.

“Parents’ concerns about emergency access are valid and understandable. However, effective cellphone policies can address this by establishing rapid parent notification systems and guaranteed access to phones when needed," says Julie Gazmararian, PhD, professor of epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health. “Strong support for high school cellphone bans among parents suggests broad public readiness for policy action. Parents see cellphone restrictions not as punishment, but as an opportunity to facilitate better learning, healthier social interactions, and improved student well-being.”

The findings highlight a growing parental consensus that the presence of cellphones in schools can be a barrier to student success and well-being.

“Students’ ability to learn without distractions is both an academic issue and a mental health issue,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “I hear this directly from students, parents, and educators, and this survey bears out what I’ve heard in those conversations. This is why we are calling for Georgia’s distraction-free legislation to be extended into grades 9-12, to end the harm caused by constant technology access and interruption."

The Georgia Department of Education and the Rollins School of Public Health are hosting a virtual event at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28 during which researchers and school leaders will share best practices and lessons learned after implementing “no cellphone” policies. To register for the event visit this website. Questions for the Q&A session can be submitted via this form.

Each year, the Emory Center for Child Health Policy, based in the Rollins School of Public Health, surveys Georgia parents to understand their concerns about their children. This year’s survey was conducted among 1,002 Georgia parents between Oct. 30 and Nov. 24, 2025, and was designed to create population-representative estimates. 

This release is the first in a series that will be shared throughout 2026 and will culminate in The State of Child Health and Well-Being 2026 report. Follow along on the Emory Center for Child Health Policy web page for the latest updates.

Technology Use, Parental Concerns, and Policy Attitudes Among Georgia Parents

Support for High School Cellphone Ban
Question: Do you support high schools banning student cellphone use during the school day?
Response    Overall % (SE)    
Yes                70.8 (2.1)    
No                 29.2 (2.1)    

Reasons for Supporting a High School Cellphone Ban
Asked among parents who support a ban.
Reason                                                           Overall % (SE)    
Improved academic focus and learning    87.7 (1.8)    
Improved in-person social interactions     71.2 (2.6)    
Improved mental health and wellbeing     69.1 (2.6)    
Improved physical health and safety          60.3 (2.9)    

Reasons for Opposing a High School Cellphone Ban
Asked among parents who oppose a ban.
Reason                                                              Overall % (SE)    
Should be parental choice                              45.5 (4.2)    
No way to reach child during emergency    74.8 (3.5)    
Phones needed for health tools/apps          26.6 (3.6)    
Phones needed for schoolwork                     19.8 (2.9)    
Students need to learn responsible use       41.9 (4.2)    

Child Use of Social Media or Social Gaming
Question: Does your child use social media or social gaming sites (e.g., TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Roblox)? 
Response    Overall % (SE)
Yes                 70.2 (2.3)
No                  29.8 (2.3)

Parental Concerns About Social Media or Social Gaming
Question: What concerns do you have about your child’s use of social media or social gaming? (Select all that apply)
Asked among parents whose child uses social media or gaming.
Concern                                                                   Overall % (SE)
Accessing harmful content                                    50.7 (2.8)
Amount of time spent                                            53.7 (2.8)
Bullying or harassment                                          36.0 (2.6)
Creating poor body image                                     18.4 (2.0)
Distracted from school, sleep, or physical activity    51.0 (2.8)
Purchasing drugs                                                     9.8 (1.5)
Social media companies using child’s data         29.7 (2.5)
Time taken away from family or friends              41.5 (2.8)
No concerns                                                              11.9 (1.9)