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Parents press Williamson County Schools to curb Chromebook access and limit classroom screen time
Summary
Multiple parents described incidents of inappropriate content, proxy bypassing of filters and AI misuse on student Chromebooks; the superintendent outlined a year‑long committee's guidance and plans for teacher training and monitoring.
Parents at the May 18 board meeting urged stricter limits on student device access and stronger safeguards after describing repeated problems with Chromebooks.
Ali Lipsey, a parent, told the board her child encountered sexualized images on a classmate's Chromebook when she was in kindergarten and described other incidents in which students took nonconsensual photos and accessed inappropriate content. "Every day, children are being exposed to the enormous risks associated with Chromebook use," Lipsey said, and she asked the district to either eliminate devices at younger ages or tightly whitelist a small set of evidence‑based apps.
Jackie to LaMaris, a Brentwood Middle School parent, described students using proxy sites to bypass district filters and said access to AI "is destroying academic integrity," recounting a recent incident where a student used AI on an ELA exam and scored higher than a classmate who wrote the essay unaided.
Superintendent Golden described the district's screen‑time committee (work ran roughly May 2025–May 2026), said committee guidance emphasizes that technology be used "only when it enhances student learning," and reported the district has already stopped sending devices home for the youngest students. He said the committee will continue to advise the district and that professional development for principals and teachers is planned, with ongoing data monitoring to measure student time on screens.
Board member Miss Wyatt asked about teacher training; Dr. Allen described meetings with principals and planned district‑wide professional development days and ongoing short PD "snippets" into next year. The superintendent said some state legislative changes affected K–5 device use and that the district anticipates recommending guidance that extends to K–12.
Parents asked for an opt‑out option if device access cannot be sufficiently restricted for young students; no board vote on device policy occurred at the meeting, but staff said policy language will be proposed based on the committee's recommendations.
Next steps include continued committee meetings at least twice yearly, data monitoring beginning in August and planned teacher/principal training to accompany any policy changes.
