Parents, teachers urge Ann Arbor schools to limit phones, protect world‑language classes and curb large elementary classes

Sharon Sorkin, a founding member of Focus on Education and a parent, opened public commentary at the July 30 Ann Arbor Public Schools board meeting by urging trustees to adopt a districtwide policy limiting students’ cell‑phone use during instructional time, saying other districts have moved first and “The time to act is now.” She cited recent national polling and local district examples and urged the board to adopt a policy before the school year begins.

Multiple parents followed, asking the board to preserve the district’s world‑language offerings and to address growing class sizes at neighborhood schools. Catherine Carlson and other speakers described the value of four‑year language pathways for college readiness and warned that last‑minute cancellations and staff retirements risk shrinking advanced courses. Several parents from Burns Park Elementary described kindergarten classes of 25–26 students and said overcrowded classrooms constrain individualized attention and physically crowd learning spaces.

Superintendent Jas Parks responded in the board’s follow‑up remarks, saying the district is not eliminating its world‑language program and that world‑language remains a graduation requirement. Parks said course offerings are driven by student requests and by the availability of certified staff, and she said administrators will review enrollments and staffing next week to make adjustments as needed.

World‑language teachers and the performing‑arts advisory also addressed the board during the public‑comment period. Jessica Anderson, a Lakewood Elementary vocal and orchestra teacher, read a letter from performing‑arts teachers asserting that recommendations for stage dimensions and audience capacity were not fully reflected in the current elementary designs and asking the district to request new designs and renewed consultation with architects. Teachers warned that program instability—especially when positions go unfilled after retirements—could make certain language sequences difficult to sustain.

Board members thanked speakers and noted several next steps: the district will review staffing and course requests before finalizing secondary schedules; administrators will examine class‑size data at the building level; and capital‑program staff later presented an update on elementary performance spaces to respond to teachers’ concerns.

What’s next: Superintendent Parks said administrators will monitor enrollments and staffing and that the administration will follow up with parents who asked for help organizing efforts to request additional state funding.