Midway ISD trustees hear debate over student iPads, district stresses filtered, curated use and developmentally appropriate limits

At a Midway ISD board meeting in October 2025, parents and staff debated classroom iPad use and district technology policy as trustees considered how the 1-to-1 device program fits with student safety, learning and professional development.

A parent who identified herself as Joylyn Covert, a Midway parent and family medicine physician, told trustees she was worried about “explicit content” students can access and asked the district to make opt-out options easier. “I do feel like overall, they're detrimental at the younger ages,” Covert said, adding concerns about effects on attention, anxiety and other health issues.

District staff pushed back against the idea that devices are used without guardrails and described multiple layers of control. “We have a curated catalog,” Sarah Collins, the district’s director of professional learning, told the board, describing a vetting process for classroom apps. Collins said the district uses internet content filtering, monitoring systems and data-privacy agreements for third-party vendors. She said Midway uses Schoology and Seesaw as…