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Fairfax County parents and teachers are pressing the school system to reconsider how often students use laptops and tablets, arguing that digital devices have become the default even when traditional instruction may work better.
Michelle Dirst began scrutinizing her son’s device use after picking him up from elementary school one afternoon and finding him unusually hyper. He said he had done little in class, but a computer-use report showed that, aside from lunch, recess and specials, he had spent nearly the entire day on his laptop with numerous tabs open.
Dirst joined dozens of parents in FCPS Parents for Intentional Technology, a group formed in December to advocate for consistent practices across schools and technology use only when it offers a clear educational benefit.
“We’ve taken the phones outside of schools,” Dirst said, describing a common concern among parents, “but you still have the devices that essentially are doing the same thing and are replacing the phones.”
Members are scheduled to meet with Superintendent Michelle Reid later this month. They want Fairfax County Public Schools to establish a technology advisory committee that includes parents and teachers.
The group is also asking the division to consider ending its one-device-per-student policy for its youngest learners. Some early-grade students use tablets, while older students receive Chromebook laptops.
Dirst acknowledged that classroom technology can be useful but said the school system should examine the supporting evidence more carefully.
Teachers Question the Digital Default
Liz Basalyga, a Katherine Johnson Middle School math teacher and member of the group, said educators face pressure to use technology because textbooks, tests and many other resources have moved online.
Although the county invested in digital textbooks, Basalyga said many teachers do not use them. She believes the emphasis on screens has left some students struggling to read directions and work through multistep problems.
Online textbooks also mean students must use devices to reach their homework. Teachers who want to assign screen-free work often have to create the materials themselves, she said.
“We’re no longer being intentional with technology,” Basalyga said. “We’re often just defaulting to technology when pencil and paper might be the best choice.”
Fairfax County Public Schools said technology is one of several resources available to teachers and does not account for most instruction. The division said it emphasizes limited, purposeful use among its youngest students.
The school system added that devices are not meant to displace teacher-led lessons, discussions, collaboration, hands-on activities, reading, writing or social interaction.
Parents Raise Concerns About Online Content
The group also wants FCPS to publish grade-specific lists of approved websites. Parents say students have reached inappropriate games, including “Five Nights at Epstein’s,” which parent Megan Durst described as being based on “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”
FCPS said it uses multiple safeguards to prevent access to inappropriate material instead of depending on one filter or blocklist.
Basalyga, however, said a program used to monitor student devices and restrict websites crashes frequently, while students have learned ways around the controls.
“It’s alarming to hear that the kids are accessing that and finding ways to work around the restrictions that we have set in our county,” Durst said.
The parents said they are not objecting to technology provided as part of a student’s 504 plan or individualized education program.
Dirst said her concerns began when her son used an iPad in kindergarten. He had meltdowns when she took it away and later requested one as a holiday gift. She instead encouraged outdoor activities and the development of motor skills.
“We’re seeing the achievement gap widen,” Dirst said, adding that every student should have an opportunity to reach their potential.