Parents and clinicians urge pause to 1‑to‑1 devices, seek opt‑out policies

Three residents addressed the board during audience opportunity on April 21, urging changes to the district’s approach to student‑facing educational technology.

April Lipke, a Bassett Elementary parent and speech‑language pathologist, said she sees the effects of excessive screen time in her professional work and asked the district to pause the introduction of new EdTech tools, perform a technology audit (including review of YouTube), and formalize an opt‑out process for 1:1 devices. “I’m here because as a parent and as a professional, I’ve recently become increasingly concerned about children and technology use,” Lipke said.

Jessica Lloyd, a clinical psychologist and parent, described clinical concerns she said she sees daily — including increases in learning difficulties, executive‑functioning challenges and mental‑health issues — and asked the board to eliminate 1:1 devices in elementary and middle grades, increase family engagement and provide alternatives. “I believe we have been misled by these large tech companies to think that the ease of access of these learning apps is beneficial to our children,” Lloyd said.

Beth Soudin, a school psychologist and parent, said she supports the district’s bell‑to‑bell policy banning personal devices but worries the 1:1 device rollout undermines that intent, particularly for middle school. She asked the district to reassess device investments, offer opt‑outs and evaluate EdTech tools against clear student‑outcome data.

General Counsel Amy Moore later told the board that the district plans to update opt‑out communications and said families will receive information through the student information system and other channels. The board did not take immediate action on policy changes at the meeting; speakers' requests were recorded for further consideration in policy and implementation discussions.