Concerned mother Meredith McGlinchey pushed Springfield School District to keep YouTube out of classrooms after her son got hooked on screens, reported Maddie Hanna for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
McGlinchey said that she doesn’t allow her son to play video games at home. She was surprised when he suddenly started begging to play Minecraft. When she logged into his school-issued Chromebook, she discovered he had been visiting YouTube and a gaming website in class.
McGlinchey spoke with other parents within the school district who had similar concerns. A common issue was the kids being permitted to use their Chromebooks during free time in the cafeteria.
”They should learn how to speak to each other’s faces, not just congregate around a screen,” she said.
At a school board meeting, one parent said that she found over 300 different YouTube links on her child’s Chromebook in one week’s span
After the parents pushed, the Springfield School District implemented new rules that will go into effect this coming season. Chromebooks will not be allowed during lunch, and only pre-approved YouTube videos can be accessed. High school kids will be required to leave their phones in designated holders during class. Elementary schoolers will not be allowed to wear smartwatches.
Read more about these Springfield parents and the fight to lower screen time in schools at The Philadelphia Inquirer.
