New cellphone policy for schools in Barrow County

The Barrow County School System announced at its work session that it’ll be implementing a policy prohibiting students in kindergarten through eighth grade from accessing their personal electronic devices during the entire school day for the 2026–2027 school year.

Governor Brian Kemp in May signed the Distraction Free Education Act. to promote a learning environment free from distractions.

Dr. James Bowen, Assistant Superintendent of Support Services, highlighted that if students are found with their personal devices, there will be progressive consequences.

“And that doesn't mean progressive as in a new way of thinking about consequences,” Bowen said. “It means progressive, as in each consequence is worse than the one before.”

Some of the concerns surrounding this new policy were parents being able to communicate with their children in the event of an emergency.

“There'll be ways to communicate with our children,” Bowen said. “They just won't be able to text them in the middle of class.”