US News
Pennsylvania parents file federal lawsuit over school district's mandatory technology use
Seven families are challenging a local school board's decision to eliminate an option for students to opt out of using internet-connected devices.
The short version
- Seven parents have sued Pennsylvania's Lower Merion School District in federal court after the school board repealed an opt-out policy for internet-connected devices.
- The plaintiffs argue that mandatory device use violates parental rights to guide their children's upbringing and exposes students to online safety risks and addictive content.
- The school district has denied the allegations, pointing out that only three of the seven plaintiff families currently have children actively enrolled in the district's schools.
- Legal experts describe the lawsuit as unusual, noting that courts have historically been reluctant to grant individual families veto power over public school technology and instructional policies.
Key facts
- Seven parents filed a federal lawsuit against the 8,500-student Lower Merion School District, Superintendent Frank Ranelli, and seven school board members in Pennsylvania.[Associated Press]
- The lawsuit challenges a June decision by the school board to repeal a longstanding policy that allowed parents to opt their children out of using internet-connected devices.[Associated Press]
- The plaintiffs allege that mandatory device use infringes on parental rights and exposes children to online harms, including addictive content and inappropriate material.[Associated Press]
- The school district adopted an updated technology policy on August 17 that limits device use in elementary schools and restricts laptop or iPad assignments until fifth grade, but denies the lawsuit's specific allegations.[Associated Press]
- School district officials noted that only three of the seven families involved in the lawsuit currently have children enrolled in the district's schools.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- It remains uncertain how the court will rule, as educational technology experts state that courts generally have not granted individual families veto power over school board technology or instructional policies.[Associated Press]