Safety and Learning in District 15

The Issue

We have spent the last several years trying to enact change in District 15 to reverse the use of 1:1 EdTech devices in the District.

There are three key reasons to act now:

Research has shown that these devices are less effective than traditional methods at helping our children learn.
They harm our students from both a social and emotional aspect.
The tools in place to block content are ineffective, and students have been exposed to dangerous content, including topics of self harm and porn.

This month a thousand students will graduate from the district. Because of the District's inaction, they will have spent the majority of their most formative years learning in this inappropriate environment. In less than three months, the incoming kindergarten class will all be handed their very own, school-issued iPad. We cannot continue to "wait and assess". The 10,000+ students in the district are being impacted every day that action is not taken.

Our request:

Roll back 1:1 device usage in the district. Return them to the classroom carts that were used prior to Covid.
Do not use technology devices as rewards or as a gamification tool.
Leverage technology ONLY when it is needed to accomplish a learning objective.

View former teacher, turned cognitive neuroscientist, Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath's testimony to the Senate here.

If you are new to this space, click here for an abundance of research on the topic. To learn more about our efforts, please email Screensin15@gmail.com.

Richard FinnPetition Starter

Media inquiries

641

Let’s get to 1000 signatures!

Petitions with 1,000+ supporters are 5x more likely to win!

The Issue

We have spent the last several years trying to enact change in District 15 to reverse the use of 1:1 EdTech devices in the District.

There are three key reasons to act now:

Research has shown that these devices are less effective than traditional methods at helping our children learn.
They harm our students from both a social and emotional aspect.
The tools in place to block content are ineffective, and students have been exposed to dangerous content, including topics of self harm and porn.

Our request:

Roll back 1:1 device usage in the district. Return them to the classroom carts that were used prior to Covid.
Do not use technology devices as rewards or as a gamification tool.
Leverage technology ONLY when it is needed to accomplish a learning objective.

View former teacher, turned cognitive neuroscientist, Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath's testimony to the Senate here.

If you are new to this space, click here for an abundance of research on the topic. To learn more about our efforts, please email Screensin15@gmail.com.

Richard FinnPetition Starter

Media inquiries

Support now

641

Let’s get to 1000 signatures!

Petitions with 1,000+ supporters are 5x more likely to win!

The Decision Makers

Community Consolidated 15 School Board,

4 Members

1 Responded

Illinois

Samantha Ader

Community Consolidated 15 School Board

“Dear Parents and Advocates, Thank you for sharing your concerns about student screen time and the use of 1:1 technology in our schools. Hearing from the families in our district is invaluable and we want to state clearly and unequivocally: we hear your concerns, we value your partnership, and we find alignment with your core goals of student balance, health, and wellness. This petition has added energy to conversations our district has been having for the past two years, and have intensified over the past year. Technology should never replace active learning, face-to-face connection, paper-and-pencil work, and the hands-on experiences that are vital to a healthy childhood. Our approach is guided by three foundational tenets: technology use must be balanced, instructionally focused, and developmentally appropriate. To show our commitment to these tenets, we want to respond directly to the three requests in the petition and share concrete changes already in the works for the 2026–2027 school year. 1. 1:1 device usage While our 1:1 Digital Learning Program remains important for equity, digital literacy, and preparing students for what lies ahead, we recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach to device management does not serve our youngest learners or their families. Starting this fall, Chromebooks for students in Grades 3 and 4 will remain at school each day, and will go home only when an assignment calls for technology use that is intentional, tied to learning outcomes, and limited in time. We are also recommitting to classroom experiences grounded in active, minds-on learning — in-person interaction, tactile work, and movement — with technology used only when it helps students think, create, connect, solve, or demonstrate understanding. 2. Intentional technology use during the school day We agree that devices should not be used as easy rewards or a source of constant digital stimulation. For the coming year, gamification will not be used in classrooms unless it is directly tied to specific, assessed learning goals. Our administrative and teaching staff are restructuring transition times so that free time, free choice, and student rewards do not depend on screens. Instead, our schools will continue expanding physical and social alternatives (board games, free-play equipment, and collaborative materials) that build social interaction and cooperative play. 3. Instructional purpose and professional practice We are in full agreement that technology should enter instruction only when it genuinely deepens understanding and moves students from passive consumers of media into active creators of knowledge. We are continuing professional development with our teachers on best practices for engaged, active learning that prioritizes face-to-face discussion, cooperative work, and tactile tasks while leveraging technology to expand access to information and foster creativity and critical thinking. And to support focused learning environments, we will continue reinforcing our “Disconnect to Reconnect” campaign, which requires all personal cell phones to be silenced and stored away from bell to bell. Closing thoughts: Education is a three-legged stool, resting on a strong partnership among the district, our educators, and our families. We are dedicated to delivering meaningful, human-centered learning where technology use is balanced, instructional, and intentional. These steps are meant to reinforce a healthy balance in the learning environment and this work will continue under Dr. Smith's leadership. We thank our parent advocacy groups, our Technology and Learning Focus Group participants, and every parent who has written to us. We look forward to welcoming students back this fall to an engaging, collaborative, and active learning environment. With appreciation, Samantha Ader President, Board of Education Community Consolidated School District 15”

James Taylor

Community Consolidated 15 School Board