With just days left before Crossover Day, Georgia lawmakers have been pushing through a wave of education-focused bills, tackling school safety, student discipline, and even cell phone bans in classrooms. These measures, now advancing to the state Senate, still face hurdles before final passage by April 4.
House Prioritizes School Safety with Landmark Bill
In a rare floor speech, House Speaker Jon Burns made his stance clear: student safety is non-negotiable. The House overwhelmingly passed House Bill 268 by a 159-13 vote, reinforcing the state’s commitment to protecting students from potential threats.
“This bill ensures parents can drop off their children in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon with confidence that their kids were in a safe learning environment,” Burns stated.
Key elements of the bill include:
- Enhanced security measures and mental health resources for public schools.
- A mandate for schools to share disciplinary and academic records when a student transfers between districts.
- Creation of the School and Student Safety Database (S3), designed to track students exhibiting potentially dangerous behavior.
The database will be tightly controlled, with only select personnel allowed access. Parents will also have the right to review and contest any information recorded.
Concerns Over Student Tracking and Data Privacy
Not everyone is on board with the new security measures. Critics argue that tracking students with a database like S3 could lead to unintended consequences, particularly for students with disciplinary histories that might not indicate a real threat.
Two Republican lawmakers joined several Democrats in opposing the bill. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about how student data will be used and whether it could lead to unfair labeling of certain students.
“Are we ensuring that this data is only used to protect students, or could it end up branding them for life?” one lawmaker questioned during the floor debate.
Cell Phones on the Chopping Block
Another hotly debated bill moving forward is a measure that would require schools to ban student cell phones during school hours. Proponents argue that phones are a distraction and contribute to cyberbullying and mental health issues.
“This isn’t about taking away freedoms—it’s about creating a better learning environment,” said a sponsor of the bill. “Teachers and parents alike are concerned that students are more engaged with their screens than their studies.”
Some educators, however, are skeptical. While many agree that phone use can be disruptive, enforcing a ban could be challenging. Additionally, parents have expressed concerns about their ability to reach their children in emergencies.
Legislative Clock Ticking Down
With the Crossover Day deadline looming, lawmakers are in a race against time. Any bill that doesn’t pass at least one chamber by then faces an uphill battle for survival in the current legislative session.
The school safety bill is expected to be a priority in the Senate, but the cell phone ban and other education-related measures will likely see further debate before reaching final approval.
As the session heats up, Georgia parents, teachers, and students are watching closely. The next few weeks could bring significant changes to classrooms across the state.
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