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Panel reads public comment urging limits on classroom screens; panelists respond with training and data safeguards
Summary
At the March Early Childhood Recommendations Panel meeting the chair read a submitted comment warning that educational technology harms children and that student data are sold; panelists said the Cabinet and partner programs do not sell children's data and noted local training and a forthcoming 'Just 10 Minutes' family support website.
Cornelia Stevens, executive director of Top A Learning Centers in Wichita and chair of the Early Childhood Recommendations Panel, read a written public comment submitted on behalf of Gretchen Shanahan that urged limiting iPads and screens in early childhood settings: "iPads or screens have no place in the early childhood setting ... All roads lead to industry profit where children become more sedentary and more dependent on digital media."
The panel discussed the submission during the Kansas open forum portion of the meeting. Stevens noted the comment had been filed through the Kansas open forum process and invited members to respond.
Melissa Martin (staff member) responded directly to reassure the commenter and the panel that "we would never ever ever sell children's data" and said the panel's data-collection systems are kept in-house and are "not connected to a big tech firm."
Hillary Kane, with Kansas Parents as Teachers Association, said the organization was providing a screen-time training to its programs that afternoon and had invited Gretchen Shanahan to share information previously. Kane also announced a new Kansas family resource called Just 10 Minutes, a website and project aimed at helping families replace screen time with brief daily activities; she said the project will be rolled out the week after the meeting.
Panel members said the comment was timely and encouraged continued dialogue: Marites (panel member) said the topic will be addressed at an upcoming local coalition retreat, and Cornelia Stevens offered to connect anyone who wanted to follow up with the commenter through staff contact information. The panel did not take formal action on the comment during the meeting.
The panel moved on to agenda business after the exchange and invited members to suggest related topics for future discussion or training.
