REFORMS | SMUSD Parents for Intentional Tech

Proposed Reforms

We are asking the district to take a more cautious, evidence-based approach to adopting new technology. Simply put: no new technology should be introduced in schools until it has been demonstrated safe for students and supported by strong evidence that it meaningfully improves learning outcomes.

These proposals reflect our current thinking and will continue to evolve as we collaborate with parents, educators, and district leadership on a path forward.

Governance & Oversight

Establish a Technology Advisory Committee consisting of a variety of stakeholders (teachers, parents, students) to provide ongoing review and accountability

Reducing Unnecessary Screen Exposure

Block student-initiated access to YouTube across all district devices and networks
Offer low-tech alternatives or a meaningful opt-out for families who request them
Return to a shared device / cart model in elementary and middle school
Prohibit recreational use of school-issued devices as a reward and during free time, lunch, recess and before and after school.

Smarter Guardrails

Explore a "safe list" approach for elementary and middle schools, where only approved sites and tools are accessible, rather than relying solely on block lists
Establish age-appropriate screen time goals and best practices by grade span
AI Use in Elementary & Middle - Disable and pause further introduction of generative AI tools, apps, websites, and software on school-issued devices until this technology has been proven safe, legal, and effective, and until age-appropriate guidelines are established.
AI Use in High School - Adopt a "walled garden"approach to access that allows for experimentation within limited, context-specific and highly-controlled environments (eg. computer science)

Transparency & Family Awareness

Publish and maintain a complete list of all programs used by grade level
Require disclosure of gen AI use in class syllabi for student assessment and evaluation
Require student and/or parental consent for the use of AI to grade or assess student work

Curriculum & Program Review

Re-evaluate iReady and consider eliminating the MyPath component
Adopt a formal digital literacy curriculum that builds genuine, transferable digital skills and includes AI literacy that goes beyond basic skills to include honest discussion of the risks, ethical implications, and environmental costs of AI use.

Cultural Shift:

Adopt an Analog-First Mindset

Policy changes alone are not enough. We are asking the district to embrace a fundamental shift in how it thinks about technology in the classroom - one that treats analog methods as the default, and digital tools as the exception.

This means asking a simple question before introducing any technology - Does this genuinely improve on what a pencil, book, discussion, or hands-on activity can already do? If the answer is unclear, an analog approach should take priority.

An analog-first mindset recognizes that many of the most important skills students develop (focus, handwriting, reading comprehension, creative thinking, and face-to-face communication) are strengthened through offline learning. Technology should serve education. It should never drive it.

In practice, this could look like:

Defaulting to physical books, paper, and hands-on materials wherever feasible
Reserving devices for tasks where digital tools offer a clear, evidence-backed advantage
Encouraging teachers to design lessons that don't require a screen unless truly necessary
Celebrating and protecting device-free time during the school day

Student Tech Bill of Rights

Preamble: I have the right to an education that is as good or better than that of the generation before me. The nature of my education should not change rapidly in response to trends, but rather should equip me with perennial skills like problem-solving, resilience, attention, and creativity. I have the right to come first in my own education, ahead of corporate interests. I also have a right to the following:

Proven Methods

I have the right to modes and methods of learning that have been proven effective before their introduction in the classroom. I have the right to not serve as a guinea pig, beta tester, or model trainer.

Books & Paper

I have the right to read whole books over the course of my education–in elementary, middle and high school. I have the right to regularly read and write on paper.

Privacy & Informed Consent

I have a right to be fully informed of vendor data practices in terms I can understand. I have the right to protect my personal information (health records, SSN, immigration status, etc.) from being packaged, sold, or leaked by vendors by withholding my consent.

Physical and Mental Health

I have the right to protect my physical and mental health by limiting exposure to screen-based technologies that may cause or worsen myopia, sleep disruptions, neck strain, anxiety, and depression.

Content and Communications Filtering

I have the right to be shielded from online content of a sexual or violent nature and from communication with those who mean me harm.

Freedom from Advertising

I have the right to a learning environment that is free from undue corporate influence. I may not be treated as a customer or laborer within my own school.

Attention & Focus

I have the right to a low-stimulation learning environment that fosters deep thinking, attention, and focus.

Screen Free Zones

I have the right to screen-free periods, including recess, PE, and lunch. My social experiences cannot be limited to the digital sphere.

Intellectual Property

I have the right to defend my own output from theft and misuse. My work cannot be fed to LLMs without my consent, nor can I be compelled to use AI.

Embodied Learning

I have the right to learning that is embodied, experiential, and social, in accordance with pediatric recommendations for my age group.

Transparency

I have the right to access and review my own educational records, including materials and assessments owned by EdTech companies.

Friction

I have the right to experience failure, difficulty, and struggle. I have the right to be held to high standards and to be pushed beyond my comfort zone.

Thank you to our friends at Schools Beyond Screens for writing the Student Tech Bill of Rights. It serves as a north star as we consider policy changes. Download a PDF.