Classrooms Without iPads

I am in support of parents having the option of placing their children in a non-LEAP classroom. Those who are opposed to this petition - and who have commented their thoughts below - are missing a crucial detail. The access of inappropriate material occurred on a school device in the classroom - not a personal device in the bathroom. Everyone is aware that personal devices are harder to monitor and control while on school property. This was not a situation of children misbehaving on their phones in the bathroom. This happened with school property in the classroom, for weeks. Parents should be given the option of enrolling their students in a classroom without these devices. The focus groups and studies done with EISD (shared in other comments) clearly show the failings and weaknesses of this program. Why can’t there be an offering of LEAP and non-LEAP classrooms for each grade level?

Through my work with the Digital Learning Task Force this year, I have become aware of growing concern among many EISD parents about the unabated growth of technology in our classrooms. As a district, we need to be thoughtful and intentional on how technology is used in the classroom. Is the 1:1 program improving academic, social and emotional learning? Is the iPad still the best device for the program? Where and when should technology be deemphasized? Does it make sense for every k through 5 student to have an iPad? Given all of the concerns and misuse of the iPad to date, parents should have the opportunity to opt out of the 1:1 iPad program.

Totally agree! Parents should have the choice if their kids should have an iPad or not. It’s the parents responsibility to control what their kids have access to, not the school district.

Cedar Creek Elementary Parent Documented at EISD Focus Group: From what I have observed since my children have been in EISD is that some iPad times make sense and other uses do not. I am concerned when it is used a carrot. My concerns with misuse vary from how it impacts the brain to social development skills. I am hearing from teachers that students want to use the ipad all the time at the expense of interpersonal communications. How is the district finding out if the ipad is being used correctly as a teaching tool? There are some situations where it makes sense developmentally not to use it. Acton Academy uses detailed tracking with use of technology. EISD needs traditional teaching methods too. It is difficult to get information from teachers on how the kids are using the devices in the classroom.

Bridge Point Elementary Parent Documented at EISD Focus Group: Child using digital devices for amusement instead of a learning tool – need to use a variety of tools but need a policy of choosing when to use it and when not use it. His 1st grader is using the iPad at least a couple of hours during the school day –worried about fine motor skills – he does not even do math by hand.

Is there a petition that I can sign so parents will stop buying their children iPhones or Smart Watches? A bigger issue we have is kids sneaking them into class, and hiding in the restrooms to use their phones. It would be nice to have a campus free of iPads, but do you think that would solve any problem? Ask other campuses that don't have 1:1 iPads. Teachers battle student cell phone (purchased for them by their parents) usage in school all day. Students can/easily use their phone data to bring up pornography, they don't need their iPads for that. If we want a school pre-technology, is there a petition to sign to ask parents to stop calling and texting your kids during school hours? - Concerned Teacher

lol how reliable is a survey asking someone what they prefer when they have no/little experience with said method? It's basically just asking someone: "Do you prefer trying something new or something you are already familiar with?" We ALL grew up learning using textbooks, paper, pencils, white boards. OF COURSE we prefer that, because we already feel like it works! No adult/parent/teacher in 2019 grew up "learning on iPads" while they were in school. So it's obvious nobody is going to prefer that, because we don't have any experience with it. That's not the question anyone should be asking. "Learning better from textbooks than screens" is a seriously nuanced question. The ability to learn from a medium (paper or screen) is a deeply deeply interconnected question. Suggesting that "my kid would make better grades if he didn't have an iPad at school" is as ridiculous as suggesting "my kid would would do better in math if he used pencil instead of a pen."

Research from the University of Maryland suggest that students learn better from books than screens. The DLTF work in the fall found that many EISD families prefer traditional textbooks over digital books.

After we opt-out of iPads, could we please opt-out of textbooks? They are extremely boring, outdated, expensive, easily destroyed, and students are able to hide comic books and Gameboys in the pages while open and only pretend to be reading. My student is CRUSHING IT in all his classes and I do not think a textbook is helping him in any way. He just googles all the information when he gets home.

After we are able to remove iPads from schools, please sign my next petition: removing iPads from Eanes Homes. I notice that many of my kid's friends have cellphones and tablet devices at home. There is no filters on the internet at homes. When my kid visits over to play, they have been shown inappropriate images or videos from an older sibling at my kids friend's house! Instead of my children playing board games or using imaginative play, they just want to play on their phones, text, or watch movies on screens. I have no way of stopping what they do when they go to their friend's houses! I don't want my kids to lose their friends, or have to move just so I can live in a low-tech home or school, so please join me in signing a petition to have all internet capable devices removed from our neighborhoods!

Better monitoring must be in place in order to keep using IPADS in the classroom.

The problems with iPads in the classroom are numerous and our children are the ones suffering. Based on the current lack of adequate safeguards within our school district, along with the countless well documented studies regarding how learning and brain development are negatively impacted by these devices, we need to be given the option of "opting out" of iPads, not only in the elementary schools but also in middle school and high school. All children are different and trying a "one size fits all approach" will never work. A task force to look at the options is clearly needed. In reality, it shouldn't have to be a choice of "all or nothing". I urge everyone, particularly those on the EISD school board to read the book, Reset Your Child's Brain, by Victoria Dunckley. Our position as a top performing school district, with children that are well educated, is in a precarious position if we continue on the current path.

iPads not needed in school

I complained when 1:1 rolled out in elementary our first year there! How could I adhere to guidelines of no more than 1 hour screen time when I had no idea how much time they used at school? My son was showing me the websites they were using, we found a link to an anti-bullying campaign video on school website and when I clicked on that video it took me to Youtube. You can only imagine all the suggested videos that showed on my computer when you are watching anti bullying video. One was about a person actually committing suicide. When I reached out to school they assured me the controls on the school computers would not allow that - but you see my child was using our own device to access school websites and links that they were encouraging! They need to be clear on that when they create websites and encourage out kids to use them. At that time the youngers were not taking their devices home. It was infuriating! I have since added many controls to my son's devices - he is also locked out of his phone from 8am-4pm so he will not be tempted in school. Many apps are not even allowed and no social media apps - maybe ever! He is only 12. Our kids Social Emotional Skills are less than those of their peers of 20 years ago and I think it'd directly linked to more technology and less face to face. They can edit and edit and edit the face they put out to the world - how does that foster development of positive identity? This is surely one of the reasons anxiety has increased in our teenagers! Something has to give!

I would say our experience with iPads has mostly been negative. So glad to see this movement happening!

Please remove iPads and return to books and paper for educating. Along with providing a proper syllabus for each class so that expectations are set with students at the beginning of each term.

I am a high-tech executive and have lived in Eanes ISD for 14 years. I have 4 kids in the district - HS, MS, Elem. I originally thought the iPads were a great way for kids to get a jumpstart on technology. I am a huge fan of Kahn Academy and saw great potential for advanced learning. I have not seen the iPads benefit my children. My eldest was only introduced to iPads in MS - he is crushing it at college in Math and Comp Sci. I do not see that the iPads helped him. My youngest is in Elem and believe the iPads are holding her back in areas like Math. In addition, by biggest issue is that parents have no control over the software and access on the iPads. I am a strong believer in parental involvement, but the current policy is pushing the parents out. I believe Elementary and most Middle School students are not ready for the access and control EISD has given them.

I do not understand why IPAD is necessary for schools at all. The school can provide computer access to kids (for example, a computer lab) only when it is absolutely needed. I would rather to home school my child if the EISD could not provide a solution.

Bridge Point Elementary Parent Documented at EISD Focus Group: She has a 1st and 3rd grader and she works in technology. Her concerns are: • Fine motor skill development – bbc article – surgeons have loss dexterity because of constant tablet and phone use • Socialization – one of the primary goals in elementary school is to learn how to interact – now we are adding the ipads to center time where kids used to interact with one another • Incentive to rush through work • Gamification of education – sometimes kids just randomly picks an answer to get through the game fast and score points • Learning to type – typing is super helpful • Phones on campus – I have read about school districts taking the burden off of the teacher- I would be in favor of this in our school district • There is Digital gap now between progressive schools scaling back tech (references NYT article)

Get rid of iPads entirely. Maybe consider other devices if, and only if, they are absolutely restricted to Khan Academy videos, electronic texts, and classroom notes. Usage of iPads at school should be limited to computer science, standardized testing (STAAR, etc.), textbook review, and keyboarding (typing) instruction. Devices should have full-size, native keyboards, not those kludged keyboard cases that are already being phased-out due to reliability failures. Further, all electronic communication with and between students, as well as all online instructional material should be readily accessible by parents.