Some parents don’t want their kids to use tech at school. But districts are pushing back

In Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, parents are clashing with school officials over mandatory device use in classrooms. The district provides iPads starting in kindergarten, Chromebooks in second grade, and MacBooks by eighth grade, but students like Aliyah Pack, a high school senior with ADHD, struggle with screen-based learning. Aliyah’s mother requested her laptop be removed to improve grades, but the school denied the request, stating technology is integral to instruction. The dispute escalated with over 600 parents signing a petition to preserve opt-out rights, arguing excessive screen time harms concentration and relationships. At a recent school board meeting, parents protested the repeal of an opt-out policy, wearing ‘Screens Down, Pencils Up’ buttons. Board member Anna Shurak dismissed opt-outs as unfeasible, insisting, ‘There is not an option for us to not have technology in schools.’ Critics argue edtech software like DreamBox, used by Subashini Subramanian’s second-grade daughter, encourages rushed learning through gamification. Parents like Adam Washington describe screen addiction spilling into schoolwork, with children bypassing home restrictions by using school laptops. Others, like Seth Ruderman, question the practicality of opt-outs, framing the debate as a need for better solutions rather than avoidance. The controversy reflects a broader trend, with at least 14 states proposing laws to limit school screen time. Four states—Alabama, Tennessee, Utah, and Iowa—have already enacted restrictions. While parents acknowledge technology’s role in modern education, many argue its dominance in classrooms undermines traditional learning methods and student well-being.