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Parent raises Chromebook and screen‑time concerns; superintendent says YouTube already blocked
Summary
A Newport Beach parent told the board young students were accessing YouTube and games on district Chromebooks; the superintendent responded that YouTube was blocked district‑wide 'long ago' and called for a board discussion on appropriate classroom technology use.
During public comment at the June 23 meeting, Linnea Trevino of Newport Beach told trustees she had seen first‑ through third‑grade students gathered around a Chromebook accessing a questionable YouTube video and playing Roblox. "Most parents I know wouldn't let their kids play Roblox at home or give them a device with open Internet access," she said, urging the district to reevaluate classroom screen time and internet access.
The superintendent responded directly after public comment, thanking the parent for raising the issue and clarifying district practice. “YouTube was, blocked long ago, not recently,” the superintendent said, adding that the district’s IT team maintains tight controls but that students sometimes find workarounds. The superintendent encouraged the board to engage on policy solutions that include parents, teachers and classified staff and warned that arbitrary time bans should be weighed against research.
Staff emphasized that curriculum is board‑approved and viewable by parents, and that the district notifies parents about rights stemming from recent Supreme Court decisions. Trustees asked staff to include the topic in future policy discussions and acknowledged the tension between instructional use of tech and concerns about non‑educational access.
The district did not announce an immediate policy change but said staff will bring the topic forward for further conversation during the coming year.
