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Students and parents urge laptops and better transit supports in public comment
Summary
Student speakers and parents urged Omaha Public Schools to provide laptops rather than tablets for high school students and to expand transit supports; a parent cited academic research linking heavy screen time to weaker learning outcomes.
Several public commenters used the boards public comment period to press the district on technology choices and transportation supports.
Jesus David Perez Hernandez, a student representing Omaha North and Burke High students, asked the board to provide laptops rather than tablets to high school students. "Having laptops instead of tablets would help us in many ways such as ease of use, educational alignment, and most notably our features," he said, arguing that many classroom apps and curricular experiences are designed for laptops.
Parent Terrence Stocherty described practical problems with tablets running out of power in school and said a lack of chargers prevented students from completing work. Stocherty also referenced researcher Jared Cooney-Horvath, summarizing testimony that "the rapid and largely unregulated expansion of educational technology" can be associated with weaker learning outcomes in many contexts; he urged the district to consider evidence and to limit screen time where appropriate.
Board member Fall told the board she is expanding a partnership with the Metro Transit Authority to distribute bus passes to students, describing the step as intended to improve safety and accountability on buses. "If you can't get to school, then you can't get to learn," she said while urging supports to reduce transportation barriers.
The board did not take immediate policy action on device procurement at this meeting; the remarks were taken during public comment and will feed into future staff recommendations and procurement discussions.
Next steps: statements from students and parents will be available in the meeting record for staff and board consideration as the district finalizes technology and transportation plans.
