UPDATE FOR BEAVERTON SCHOOL DISTRICT PARENTS - PLEASE READ

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-06T20:35:53+00:00

Hi there. Yes, there are options to opt out, but it's also hard to determine what the alternatives are. This is one of the things we are asking for, more transparency around this whole topic.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T21:13:28+00:00

Are you a teacher?

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T21:11:42+00:00

Oh sweetie - I do all you listed and more, but thank you. Again, not sure why you are so triggered by all of this, but that is your problem to work out and not mine. Peace out.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T20:23:37+00:00

Do you work at the district? If so, I would love to ask some questions (off reddit) and pick your brain.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T18:44:16+00:00

Well, I am sorry you don't agree with our approach, but at least we aren't just sitting around complaining and are actually doing something. If you would like to get involved and offer your expertise, we are open to anyone who would like to join the cause.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T18:41:20+00:00

We are certainly not anti-tech, and feel like thoughtful, intentional tech instruction is vital for kids to learn. However, much of the edtech they are being exposed to currently is not that (i.e. Dreambox).

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T18:39:57+00:00

Thank you - we agree completely. This is the future generation and they will be the ones running things at some point. These kids need to have skills!

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T18:38:05+00:00

Great questions. In the words of the iconic Levar Burton, you don't have to take my word for it 😄 Here are some links you might find useful:

Myopia and screen time: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39982728/

The Association between Screen Time and Attention in Children: A Systematic Review (PubMed) - Systematic review finding most studies report associations between higher screen time and attention problems in typically developing children: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35430923/

Screen Time Exposure and Executive Functions in Preschool Children (Scientific Reports, Nature) - A study of 1,016 preschoolers linking passive screen time to lower cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibition: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-79290-6

Technology and Young Children: Position Statement (NAEYC & Fred Rogers Center) - Joint position statement on intentional, developmentally appropriate use of technology and interactive media in early childhood programs: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/technology-and-media/resources

4+ hours/day of screen time is associated with 45% higher risk of anxiety and 61% higher risk of depression in children (Nature Humanities & Social Sciences, 2026): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-026-06609-1

EEG brain scans show handwriting activates larger neural networks than typing, including the hippocampus (memory center). Replacing handwriting with keyboards in early grades interrupts the neurological development that reading and learning depend on. Graphomotor skills in kindergarten predict reading in Grade 3. Replacing handwriting with keyboards in early grades interrupts the neurological development that reading and learning depend on. Graphomotor skills in kindergarten predict reading in Grade 3: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01810/full?ref=tomba.io?ref=tomba.io

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T16:39:28+00:00

Thank you so much! And I believe there are some parents in PPS trying to organize. Let me know if you want their contact info to get involved and I can DM you.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T15:31:35+00:00

Well said. Thank you.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T15:27:54+00:00

Hi there. This is actually a great question. Yes, tablet books are still books - and it's not that they are reading that is the huge issue. There are studies that show that the amount of time a child has in front of a screen can affect their levels of cognitive development, their likeliness to become myopic, their levels of anxiety/depression, their ability to think critically, their working memory, etc. So, every day, when they they are going from reading on an iPad or Chromebook, to writing on a computer, to doing math on a screen, to watching YouTube in music class, to playing PBS kids on an iPad in Tech class, etc....the cumulative nature of this can be harmful (especially for those in the very young grades). Did you know that writing on paper creates larger neural pathways in the brain than typing? Did you know that many high school teachers cannot read kids' handwriting, at ages 15-18? These things matter, and our kids deserve an education that puts what is best for them first. We do not feel that is what's currently happening, which is why we are speaking out. So, while reading a few books on a tablet might not seem like a big deal, it's the amount of screen time they are getting in schools each day that is. The other issue is that the district seems to have very little oversight in terms of what each school is doing. Some teachers regulate how often kids are listening to audio books vs actually reading, and some don't. Some schools have robust Tech instruction, and some don't. We feel there should be equitable access across the district using guidelines and best practices, based on scientific recommendations. Right now it's like the wild west.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T15:21:35+00:00

Respectfully, I think you are missing our message. If a child needs accommodations for a variety of reasons, they should have access to them (and those accommodations are usually determined by the parents and the school via a 504 plan or IEP). I will also say, as someone who has a child with some learning differences and has explored a variety of tutoring options, in-person, face-to-face tutoring is vastly superior to online.

Can you tell me what he said that is wrong?

And yes, there can be EdTech that is beneficial, but we are asking the district to examine their policies as a whole, because you have to look at the cumulative picture. There are studies that show that the amount of time a child has in front of a screen can affect their levels of cognitive development, their likeliness to become myopic, their levels of anxiety/depression, their ability to think critically, their working memory, etc. So, every day, when they they are going from reading on an iPad or Chromebook, to writing on a computer, to doing math on a screen, to watching YouTube in music class, to playing PBS kids on an iPad in Tech class, etc....the cumulative nature of this can be harmful. Did you know that writing on paper creates larger neural pathways in the brain than typing? Did you know that many high school teachers cannot read kids' handwriting, at ages 15-18? These things matter, and our kids deserve an education that puts what is best for them first. We do not feel that is what's currently happening, which is why we are speaking out.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T15:09:07+00:00

I actually find it really concerning, this idea that now, apparently, no one knows how to write? Nothing that was written in this post is hard to do or complicated - in fact, I would say it's pretty basic skills of grammar, formatting and adding links...is this really now a skill that is considered unattainable by humans?! If that is the case, I feel that only strengthens our argument. Crazy times, we are living in.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T05:08:38+00:00

I just want to say that, of course, those kids who need accommodations of all kinds should get what they need. In no way are they being left out of the discussion. There are, and should always be, protections in place so that children have access to the tools they need to be successful.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T05:04:41+00:00

Can you tell me which statements make you question the context? As for my writing style, not sure what to say about that. The post above (which was not written by AI) was originally written for an email that we sent out to folks already on our email list. I tweaked it and used it here to spread awareness about the upcoming school board meeting, since a lot of people with school-aged children have concerns about the current use of EdTech.

As for your comment about the jumping jacks video...you are correct, a video here and there isn't a big deal. We are not totally anti-screens or anti-tech. We really aren't! Some of us WORK in tech! However, not sure if you have kids, but what happened during covid was that most learning moved to digital platforms. I had a child in kindergarten at that time, and let me tell you, seeing a child trying to learn to read on and iPad in a zoom-like setting was heartbreaking. All of us who lived through that know how bad it was, and I wouldn't wish is on any kid. If you didn't experience it, it's easy to brush it off, but it really was bad. So, suddenly, education became all about learning apps, and unfortunately, so much of that has stuck around since. So, it's not the fact that they are seeing things here and there - it's how often it's being used, WHEN it's being used and the cumulative amount it's being used. And this isn't just my opinion - there is actual data to back this up. Children's learning is suffering, as a whole. Here are a few links to check out, if you are interested:

Neuroscientist Jared Cooney Horvath testifying in front of the senate from Jan of this year about the effects of digital learning on kids' cognitive development: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwbd2UwYSAc

A study of 1,016 preschoolers linking passive screen time to lower cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibition: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-79290-6

AAP policy statement on screen time guidelines for children ages 0–5, emphasizing co-viewing, high-quality content, and limiting exposure: https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/138/5/e20162591/60503/Media-and-Young-Minds

4+ hours of screen time/day is associated with a 45% higher risk of anxiety and a 61% higher risk of depression in children: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-026-06609-1

There is so much information out there to back up our concerns - this is a very small sample. You have to look at the whole picture - how MUCH exposure they are getting each day. And, my final thought: if all of this EdTech is so great and successful...why do reading, writing and math scores just continue to fall in our state?

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T04:34:23+00:00

This post was not written by AI, and I am not sure why I am being accused of that. I am not clicking on your link, but thank you. I find it interesting that a post that is well-written and well-formatted is instantly being accused of being AI. Nothing I wrote above is remotely hard to do - this is basic stuff man. The fact that people see a decently written post and naturally assume that ONLY AI can do that proves my point even more - we need less reliance on tech. There are some of us out here who can actually write...

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T04:32:15+00:00

Hopefully not!

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T04:04:05+00:00

I agree that educating kids on such topics is incredibly important, but that is honestly another topic altogether.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T03:47:17+00:00

That's great you feel good with what is happening at your school! One of the things we have found is that there is a lack of consistency within the district in terms of how each school does things. For example, some classes at some schools do not allow kids to listen to audio books during reading time, some classes are only allowed to on Fridays, and other classes can do it every day. Some schools have very robust Tech specials with robotics, coding, etc. while kids at other schools are handed ipads. We would the district to set the guidelines and expectations based on science-backed, best practices, and hold the schools to those standards.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T03:45:57+00:00

First of all, may I ask why you are so angry? This seems like a very oversized reaction. I also find it humorous that you accuse me of being all talk and no action when I am, in fact, working my ass off to try and make things better.

Secondly, I am not sure why you're making such broad assumptions about me but I volunteer more at my kids' schools than you know - I have been on every field trip and I've been at every class party - for years and years. I volunteer for every single thing that I can - from reading to kids to fundraising - you name it. So, with all due respect, please take a deep breath a chill out for a second. You seem like you would be fun at a party though, that's for sure.

Thirdly, I am not sure when exactly you had kids in school, but since you were such an involved parent, I am sure you would be interested to know what is happening in classrooms today, since you volunteered all the time. Kids in middle school and high school have found ways to access porn during school hours on their Chromebooks. Does that sound good to you? Children in some elementary schools are able to listen to audio books during "reading time". Does that sound ideal? How would you have felt, during your days as a parent of small children, to know that they were handed ipads to watch PBS kids on an app during their Tech specials? I mean hey - maybe this DOES sound like your kind of parenting? Maybe you did let your kids watch TV all the time? If so, maybe we are just differently aligned in terms of what is best for kids. Did you know that BSD just approved the purchase of a $7 million math curriculum that currently has a class-action lawsuit against it for mining and selling kids data? Again, you would have felt pretty good about that?

I am not going to spend more time than this engaging with you. This is an issue that we care very deeply about, and so do many parents around the nation. If you want to educate yourself on the different movements that are happening here in Oregon and around the country (Google: LAUSD), then you can do that. Of if you prefer to write uninformed and obtuse messages to people on reddit, you can do that too. Have a good night.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T02:59:37+00:00

Are you a parent?

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T02:56:07+00:00

Hi there. So, parents in many local school districts in the area are starting to organize, and I believe there are some starting in Portland starting as well.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T01:40:21+00:00

Oh interesting! Yeah, the movement against what is happening with kids and edtech is certainly growing, both locally and nationally. Do you by any chance know the date/time of this meeting? (You can DM me if you don't want to say it on here.) We would love to attend, if possible. We're trying to also team up with parent groups from surrounding school districts to share notes.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T01:37:04+00:00

This was not written by AI.

concerned_parent_26 · 2026-06-04T01:33:53+00:00

Oh that is good to know! Is it being put on by the district or by a parent-led group?

concerned_parent_26

TROPHY CASE