The Big Tech backlash in schools

Kids are back in school and the debate over screens in schools has erupted again. There’s a growing backlash in districts around the country over the amount of technology in classrooms. 

Parents in some districts are organizing to limit screen time and ban phones. In Lower Merion School District, several families have filed a lawsuit demanding their kids can opt out of school-assigned laptops.

Bell-to-bell cell phone bans are spreading across the country. New Jersey and Delaware have passed state-wide laws and Pennsylvania could soon follow.

But computers are a different problem since so much school work and testing takes place online. And just as some more affluent districts are becoming wary of digital devices, poorer schools are struggling to afford enough computers for all students.

Tech companies have been aggressively pushing districts to adopt their tools, including new AI chatbots aimed at younger users. They argue that they boost student learning, but studies haven’t shown ed-tech leads to meaningful gains. 

Today, how Big Tech pushed into schools. We’ll talk about tech equity, the growing presence of AI chatbots in education and the resistance building among parents, teachers and some students. 

Guests

• Natasha Singer, New York Times reporter covering technology in schools and author of Coding Kids: Big Tech’s Battle to Reshape Public Education
• Kenny Cooper, WHYY reporter and host of the Schooled: Rewired podcast