America’s tech-filled classrooms are facing a backlash against school-assigned devices

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) will phase out school-issued devices for students in kindergarten through second grade beginning in the fall, marking a major shift in its digital learning policies. The decision follows a resolution passed last month by the school board, which also imposes daily and weekly screen-time limits for older grades, blocks YouTube on school devices, and prohibits device use during lunch and recess in elementary and middle schools. The district will also review its $1.6 billion in education technology contracts, as critics argue excessive screen time undermines learning and student well-being. The policy change reflects a growing national movement against classroom technology, with at least 14 states proposing laws to limit screen time in schools. Federal health advisories have also warned about the risks of excessive digital use among youth. In Los Angeles, parents formed the group Schools Beyond Screens to advocate for reform, citing frustrations over school-mandated devices clashing with home screen-time restrictions. Teacher Anna Soffer, who teaches sixth-grade English and history, says Chromebooks in her classroom create more distractions than educational value. She reports daily struggles with students prioritizing games like Minecraft over assignments. While some lessons require digital tools, Soffer believes hands-on activities with pen and paper would improve focus and engagement. Parents like Katie Pace, whose eighth-grade daughter Clementine uses a school Chromebook, describe unintended consequences of the devices. Clementine spends the school bus ride watching YouTube videos, and her device history shows hours spent on streaming music, makeup tutorials, and cat videos—despite strict home screen-time rules. Pace argues the devices have replaced reading and other offline activities, leaving her daughter with a 'screen addiction in her backpack.' The pushback against school-issued tech follows earlier successes in limiting cellphones, which many districts have banned to reduce distractions. However, parents and educators now argue that tablets and laptops present similar challenges, if not greater ones, due to their broader capabilities. The LAUSD policy sets a precedent for other large districts considering similar reforms as concerns over digital overuse in education grow.