Ask the Experts: School Tech Edition (Part 4)

<p><strong>What can parents actually do when their child&#39;s school is using too much technology?</strong></p><p><br></p><p>In the final episode of our <strong>Ask the Experts: School Tech Edition</strong> back-to-school series, I&#39;m joined by <strong>Emily Cherkin, The Screentime Consultant</strong>, a former middle school teacher, parent, author, and longtime advocate for healthier technology use in schools.</p><p><br></p><p>Using questions submitted by parents, we tackle some of the biggest challenges families are facing: excessive screen time, school-issued laptops, i-Ready and other EdTech platforms, YouTube access, AI embedded in school devices, opting out, student privacy, and what to do when a school simply says <strong>no</strong>.</p><p><br></p><p>Emily offers practical advice for parents who want to push back without making teachers&#39; jobs harder—and challenges us to rethink the way we approach school technology.</p><p><br></p><p>Instead of asking schools, <strong>&quot;Can I opt out?&quot;</strong>, she suggests a different approach:</p><p><br></p><p><strong>&quot;I decline this technology until you can show me that it is effective, safe, legal, and better than teacher-led instruction—and that the evidence is independent, verifiable, and replicable.&quot;</strong></p><p><br></p><p>We also talk about why hearing &quot;no&quot; from your school doesn&#39;t have to be the end of the conversation, how parents can organize with other families, when to take concerns to the school board, and why incremental change matters.</p><p><br></p><p>And Emily makes an important distinction: <strong>she isn&#39;t anti-technology. She&#39;s pro–technology education, not educational technology.</strong> Children need to learn how technology works, how to think critically about it, and how to use it responsibly—but that doesn&#39;t mean they need unrestricted access to technology throughout their childhood.</p><p><br></p><p>As Emily puts it, <strong>&quot;The best preparation for a digital future is an analog childhood.&quot;</strong></p><p><br></p><p>If you&#39;ve been wondering how to protect your child&#39;s childhood and education in an increasingly digital school environment, this episode is for you.</p><p><br></p><p>Emily&#39;s Substack: <a href="https://firstfish.substack.com/?">First Fish Chronicles </a></p><p>Emily&#39;s <a href="https://thescreentimeconsultant.com/resources/unplug-edtech-toolkit">Unplug EdTech Toolkitl</a></p><p><a href="https://w