Parents ask West Chester Area SD to reconsider screen and cell‑phone policies for K–12
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Summary
Two residents urged the board to add technology and cell‑phone policies to a future agenda: Erin Rizzi Shores requested district action on age‑appropriate screen time and EdTech privacy, and Carrie May urged a K–12 "bell‑to‑bell" cell‑phone policy to limit in‑school device distraction.
Two residents used the public comment period at the Feb. 23 board meeting to press the district on technology use in classrooms.
Erin Rizzi Shores, who identified herself as a West Wideland resident and a parent, said the district’s 1:1 device program risks turning educators into "technology managers" and raised five areas of concern: social isolation, diminished intrinsic motivation from gamified apps, distraction and attention problems, physical and mental health effects (eye strain, sleep loss, anxiety), and privacy risks from EdTech data collection. “When used intentionally, technology can be a powerful teaching tool. But too often, that is simply not what is happening in our classrooms,” Rizzi Shores said, and she asked the administration to place age‑appropriate screen time guidance on a future board agenda.
Carrie May of West Goshen Township, a parent of four district students, asked the board to adopt a consistent bell‑to‑bell cellphone policy across K–12. She said allowing phones during high school lunch and free periods creates continual temptation and reduces social interaction, citing examples from other districts that reported more socializing after implementing full‑day restrictions. “Give our students back cell‑free downtime,” May said, urging the board to consider the policy change.
Board members thanked both commenters and noted administration is working on screen‑time guidelines; both speakers requested deeper discussion and placement on a future agenda.