Parent group pushing Madison schools to limit all screens in classrooms
When students return to Wisconsin schools over the next few weeks, their cell phone use will be limited.
Phones have been prohibited during class time since July 1. But some parents say the new law doesn’t go far enough — they would like to see all screen use limited in classrooms.
“Our concerns are more widely around technology use and a healthy balance,” said Jacqui Shore, a Madison mom, middle school librarian and co-founder of Parent Check on Tech.
The group was formed in May with about 30 parents. Today there are about 200 people involved.
They say the default for students should be pencil, paper and physical books, not Chromebooks and other technology.
Amy Martino, the group’s other co-founder, says they’re working on a petition for the Madison Metropolitan School District.
“We’re leaning toward advocating for delaying one-to-one Chromebooks until high school,” Martino said. “And we would like to see device-free classrooms until grade two. And then a Chromebook cart or computer lab for third through eighth grade.”
According to a report to the MMSD Board of Education in April by senior leaders in the district, there is a discrepancy between the recommended instructional usage of technology and the actual daily screen time logged by students.
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