As the 2025-2026 school year is set to begin soon, Lamar County Schools will be implementing updated policies regarding student cell phone use and dress code across all four schools.
Personal Electronic Device Policy K-12
District-wide, Lamar County Schools has updated its cell phone and personal device use policy as a new state law comes into effect. In May of this year, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the “Distraction-Free Education Act.” This bans personal devices for students in kindergarten through eighth grade beginning in July 2026. While the state law does not apply to high school students, those enrolled at Lamar County High School will also be expected to follow the same policy as other students in the district. The law allows school districts to determine how the policy is enforced locally, and Lamar County has chosen to implement the rules district-wide starting this school year.
The following personal electronic devices must be “powered off” and “out of sight” until the end of the school day:
- Cell phones
- Smart Watches
- Tablets (like an iPad from home or other similar device)
- Video game consoles
- Wireless headphones (AirPods, Bluetooth earbuds, etc.)
Violations:
- First Offense: Students will receive a verbal warning. The device will be confiscated. The student will receive the device at the end of the school day.
- Second Offense: The device will be confiscated and held until a parent or guardian can pick it up.
- Third Offense: The device will be confiscated, and the student will receive a disciplinary referral for defiance. A parent or guardian will have to come to the school to pick up the confiscated device.
Dress Code Policies Summaries and Highlights
Lamar County Primary School
Students at Lamar County Primary School are not to dress in a way that can be seen as a distraction for other students. The policy emphasizes modesty, school spirit, and unity.
Lamar County Elementary School
The Lamar County Elementary dress code policy prohibits what they call “the B’s.”
- Bottoms (pajama bottoms)
- Blankets
- Bonnets (or hats) unless special permission is granted by the school’s administration.
Whether or not clothing is appropriate is “left to the discretion of the school administration.”
See the full policy below:
Lamar County Middle School and Lamar County High School
Students must dress modestly and safely. The following are not allowed:
- No shorts more than five inches above the knee
- Holes or rips in clothing more than five inches above the knee
- Pajamas, blankets, slides
- Tank tops, halters, spaghetti straps, or tops less than three inches wide
- Leggings, bodysuits, or tights as pants
- Flip flops, slides, or backless shoes
- See-through clothing
- Clothing promoting drugs, alcohol, or violence
- Head coverings (hoods, bonnets, do-rags, hats, masks, etc.) unless approved
See the full policy below:
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
