‘We hear you.’ Shawnee Mission school board discusses policy for personal devices

Shawnee Mission School District read two policies on student use of devices and artificial intelligence at its board meeting Monday.

The personal device policy was in response to Kansas House Bill 2299, which restricted students from using personal technology during the school day.

The policy states, “students are prohibited from using or accessing personal electronic communication devices during the school day while on district owned or operated property, except as expressly permitted by this policy or by law.”

Though Superintendent Michael Schumacher said the policy was “a regurgitation of the law,” there needs to be discussion of the policy’s language and whether it really is “pursuant to Kansas law,” as it currently states.

“[Administrators] did not want to collect devices. They did not want to buy bags. And so this, given the law, we believe is the best course of action for our school district at this time,” he said at the June 22 board meeting.

Kim Whitman is a local advocate whose kids attend Shawnee Mission schools. She helped found the Phones Free School Movement, which has created resources and a toolkit for administrators and families in implementing and advocating for policy. She also leads legislative initiatives for the Smartphone Free Childhood U.S. organization.

“A lot of what you can do on your phone transfers to the device, the school issued device,” she said. “I think there is a segment that wants their child to have their phone 24/7, they want 24/7 access to their child. But they have problems with the school issued devices.”

Whitman said she hasn’t felt heard by the district, and has the impression that some school officials are upset at the recent passage of the phone restrictions. After the law passed, Whitman asked the board to put a policy in place.

“I appreciate them following the law, but the policy they chose likely won’t be effective,” she said.

Her concern is in the language being used in the handbooks and the policy draft. While the policy draft says student’s may choose to not bring devices to school by leaving them at home or in a vehicle, the handbook’s modification states the law “prohibits students from possessing personal electronic devices on school premises during the school day.”

Communications coordinator Kristin Babcock told The Star the district is still in the initial process in determining the language.

“Now is a time for gaining feedback, reviewing, and listening to any variety of viewpoints and considerations shared in response to the first read,” Babcock wrote in an email.

As it was just the first read, though, Schumacher and several other board members said the language may need to be modified, and all feedback will be taken into account for the next draft. There has also been discussion about disciplinary action levels, which he said the policy review committee believe should be kept at level one to see how students respond in the fall.

Whitman does support some recent decisions of the board, like the iPad carts ordered for elementary schools to keep tech at school.

“For me it’s a step in the right direction, but I would have said no devices in elementary,” Whitman told The Star. “The next step is dialing it back even more.”

Concern has risen as the school has invested millions of dollars into a 1:1 initiative, which “supports every elementary student with an iPad and each secondary student with a Macbook Air,” according to the website.

There was a 30-minute period of public comment before the June 22 board meeting where parents voiced concern over technology use in schools. Most spoke on behalf of the Shawnee Mission chapter of Schools Beyond Screens, an organization that advocates for greater regulation of technology in schools.

At the meeting, board member Jamie Borgman expressed gratitude for the community members who were concerned over instructional use of technology.

“Please continue to share it with us, we are listening, we hear you,” Borgman said.

Still, multiple board members made it clear that the personal technology policy is different from the concern over district issued devices. Heather Ousley, at-large board member, said the board was “bound by the statute,” and are simply looking at following the language of the law relating to personal use of technology in classrooms.

“Our policy is that cellphones are to be inaccessible during the day pursuant to the law. We are not collecting them. We are telling students that they are not to have them,” Ousley said during the meeting.

Setting standards with artificial intelligence

Following the first read on the personal technology policy, the board also saw the first read of a policy on the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms.

The policy includes definitions, guidelines on approved uses of AI and prohibited uses. There is also a draft of an instructional technology guidebook, which features an “AI Bias and Misinformation Starter Guide.”

“AI is not a fad, it’s not a trend, it’s a transformative technology, and we have to be very attentive to it,” board member David Westbrook said.

Westbrook said it is important to develop a procedure about the appropriateness of AI application in classrooms, schools, and in decision-making processes, despite it being a rapidly changing technology.

“Yes this will change, and because it’s dynamic and constantly changing and ubiquitous, doesn’t mean we can’t set some standards,” Westbrook said.

Borgman suggested considering an artificial intelligence committee with parents, students and other stakeholders to navigate the hurdles.

“I do not want our community feeling like they have to hit that nuclear button where they have to move, or they have to send their kiddo to a private school when they really want to be at Shawnee Mission,” she said.

While calling into the meeting, vice president Jessica Hembree said it’s imperative to not lump the various conversations on technology together.

“I want us to be very thoughtful that AI is different from school issued devices, is different from personal devices, is different from how much screen time overall,” she said. “I think it’s great to hear from a lot of stakeholders, but I really think the most important people to hear from are teachers.”

The board will continue to review the drafts and will reflect on them and the next steps with these policies in the July 20 board meeting.