Readers probably go back and forth about which is more embarrassing, “Lower Merion School Board member resigns following arrest” or “Parents file suit against LMSD over new tech policy.”
Add varying degrees of anger and frustration in taxpayers’ reactions.
As Richard Ilgenfritz reports for Main Line Media News, “The Lower Merion School District is facing a new federal lawsuit over computers.
“In a 116-page complaint, seven families have filed suit in federal court in Philadelphia against the Lower Merion School District over its new technology policy, arguing the district violates their rights as parents by forcing students to use school-issued computers and not allowing an opt-out option.
“Attorney Patrick Huyett filed the suit on the families’ behalf. The suit names every school board member and Superintendent Frank Ranelli.
“In a joint statement, Huyett and Andrew Liddell of an organization called the Ed Tech Law Center, an organization that litigates nationally on school technology and student privacy issues, said, ‘Parents have the right to make decisions about their children’s education, including their exposure to and use of technology.
“‘Through this lawsuit, we are working to protect this constitutional right for parents while sending their children to schools in the Lower Merion School District.”
“The district, in its response to the suit Friday morning, said, ‘The Lower Merion School District is aware of a lawsuit filed by some parents, not all of whom have students enrolled in LMSD schools, alleging the School Board’s decision to repeal a School Board Policy represents a violation of their civil rights.
“The District denies the allegations and will respond further through the judicial process.”
Please, please, Kerry, do not spend precious taxpayer dollars on litigation. My husband Jim and I pay currently $9,284 per annum in school taxes and we want to trust you to spend wisely and to do so to the benefit of all students.
Some background regarding the tech journey in LMSD.
Over twenty years ago, AY05-06, as a teacher, I met with Marty Yoder, LMSD Human Resources Director.
Armed with the printouts of the August 21, 1974 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) documents, I engaged with Marty in a conversation about my concerns for the well-being of our students.
At that time, LMSD had purchased Power School and into the program were entered by District officials the name, birthdate, photo, home address, phone numbers, parents’ and guardians’ names, medical and emotional support concerns, clubs, sports, schedules, and bus routes for every student.
This was an unprecedented upload of highly individualized private data on students. This action made it possible for hackers and “bad actors” to locate or contact any student at almost any time during extended school hours.
Added to this concern was the implementation of the Power School Gradebook and the parent portal.
Many District teachers attempted to query what had changed in students that they were to be graded every day.
Furthermore, those grades including day-to-day numerical grades for class participation were made available to parents and guardians, with no provision for supportive comments provided by teachers.
Gone by the wayside was the latitude given to students by a teacher’s use of “plus, check, minus” for homework grades. Power School was numbers only and initially there was no comments space.
And cheating increased predictably.
Up to that time in Lower Merion, teachers were required to complete, for a mailing home to parents and guardians, “scholastic and warning notices” which would give an alert that a student was having difficulty, and for a variety of reasons.
Usually, the parents or guardians would schedule a conference to figure out what steps, or even interventions, could be taken to help the student.
In 2006, I remember continuing to use these paper scholastic notices – we had boxes of them at LM – to communicate with parents and guardians at a more professional and comprehensive level.
I also remember that my supervisor told me to cease using the paper notices because it would put pressure on other teachers to do the same.
In the end, our head custodian was ordered to trash boxes of the scholastic notices to prevent their continued use. To note, because of the carbon copy sheets, the boxes of reams of paper could not be recycled.
The worse part of this story is that the decades-long practice of sending home scholastic notices was halted and teachers relied solely on Power School to share their concerns.
And the responsibility shifted to the parents and guardians to find out if there were any problems and to do so by accessing Power School.
This was the first phase of de-personalizing education, and that was over twenty years ago.
The next phase was the start of systemic grade pressure, sometimes unrelenting, by parents and guardians on their children.
The grades dominated over learning, a pity and a travesty.
As a longtime member of the Coalition for Youth of Lower Merion and Narberth, I could see the dramatic negative emotional, psychological, and spiritual effects on students.
And I could look back to 1974 when I started teaching at Harriton.
Not all students suffered, because some parents and guardians never checked Power School, relying on conversations and beneficial interactions with their children and checking in with teachers at conferences.
Have student anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts increased in the past twenty years? Unfortunately, you know the answers.
Of course, not all schools and not all teachers bought into Power School, online grading, the parent portal, and the concomitant alienation which has occurred.
Again, what has changed in children and students that we are so prone, and even manic, about forcing technology on them?
This morning, my husband and I attended a Pre-K kids birthday party held at a playground in Malvern, twenty kids, siblings, and all of the parents.
The theme was “explorers,” and each kid got a vest with pockets, binoculars, a passport, a marker, and a sheet of paper with six images.
You know how it works. The kids search for enlarged versions of the images taped to trees, the pavilion, the playground structure, and circled the images on their pages.
A jeep, hiking boots, binoculars, a spade, a magnifying lens, and a backpack.
Plus nutritious snacks, fruit juices, bagels, and a chocolate birthday cake.
The enthusiasm, running around, sharing, suspense, humor, discovery, playing, eating, singing, and fun were contagious. No one was on a phone or an iPad.
Imagine, Lower Merion and Narberth parents and guardians really care about their children, their well-being and academic success.
Frank and Kerry, do the right thing, get into conversation with parents and guardians, show the love, and admit mistakes with the resolve to do better.
Do not spend our taxpayers’ money on legal fees.
This is the most important thing which you do, providing the absolute best and most wholesome education for our young people.
If you know Latin, let our LMSD triad resonate: Menti, Corpori, Moribus – it is in the best interest of all of us because our children are our present and our future.
Mary Brown, a columnist and feature writer for Main Line Media News, teaches “no devices” Latin at Saint Joseph University.