Parent urges district for Chromebook opt‑out, raises I‑Ready privacy concerns

Carla Albar told the San Marino Unified School District board on June 23 that a petition signed by 132 mostly TK and kindergarten parents requests changes to classroom device use and a clear avenue for parents to opt children out.

"What we feel is we're not comfortable with kids on Chromebooks and iPads with headphones," Albar said, adding that her child's teacher used devices as both a reward and a punishment. She said parents were told first graders would use Chromebooks for about "145 minutes a week," and that the school lacked a formal plan to accommodate students who cannot or should not use district devices.

Albar also flagged privacy concerns related to the district’s use of I‑Ready and said families are "anxiously awaiting" responses about a related class‑action matter. The board did not respond during public comment, noting it is prohibited from replying during the comment period under the Brown Act.

Context and next steps: the board’s policy and meeting procedures were read at the start of the meeting; district staff did not announce a change to device policy at the June 23 meeting. Parents who wish to have district follow‑up on opt‑out processes or device‑use policies should contact district administration. The parent asked specifically how to opt out if they are "not comfortable signing the parental consent for devices," and said school administrators told her they had not yet developed a formal opt‑out plan.