Parents push Knox County Schools to rethink classroom technology as district reviews screen time policies
Publish Date: 2026-06-03 08:45:00
Source Domain: www.wbir.com
Knox County parents, driven by concerns over excessive classroom screen time and online distractions, are advocating for reduced reliance on technology in schools.
KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Concerns about classroom screen time, online distractions and student access to inappropriate content are prompting some Knox County parents to push for changes in how technology is used in schools.
Those concerns took center stage during a Knox County Board of Education discussion this week, where members began considering possible changes to district technology policies ahead of a new state law that requires limits on technology use for elementary students.
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Among the parents advocating for change is Margot Kern, founder of Knox IRL, a community group focused on reducing children’s reliance on screens and encouraging more real-world interaction. What began as conversations among a handful of parents after reading “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt has grown into a group of roughly 250 members.
Last year, the group advocated for Knox County Schools’ bell-to-bell cellphone policy. This year, members have turned their attention to school-issued devices and how often they are used throughout the school day.
“We’re definitely not anti-technology,”…
