Ask the Experts: School Tech Edition (Part 1)

Part 1 with superintendent Dr. Greg Taranto

Schools were promised that more technology would improve education. But did it?

In this episode of Ask the Experts: School Tech Edition, Superintendent Dr. Greg Taranto shares why his district made the bold decision to eliminate screens in K–2 classrooms, reduce technology use across all grade levels, and move away from EdTech platforms like IXL in favor of teacher-led instruction.

Together, we tackle questions from parents:

• Why his district decided to reverse course on classroom technology
• Whether AI belongs in schools—and why he says no
• How parents can advocate for less screen time without making teachers' jobs harder
• Whether you can opt your child out of Chromebooks, AI tools, and digital learning platforms
• Why schools rely so heavily on EdTech, and what parents should ask before accepting it
• What rights parents have to review classroom technology and digital curriculum
• The growing concerns around student privacy, online testing, and Responsible Use Agreements
• How to work with teachers, principals, school boards, and legislators to create meaningful change

If you've ever felt dismissed by your school, wondered whether all this technology is really helping your child learn, or wanted practical advice on how to advocate for healthier classrooms, this conversation is for you.

This episode is part of our four-part Ask the Experts: School Tech Edition mini-series, where we're bringing your biggest back-to-school questions to leading experts in neuroscience, education, online safety, and child development.

Resources mentioned in the episode: 

Get your copy of The Digital Delusion by Dr. Jared Cooney-Horvath here.

You can find dozens of parent templates for school tech advocacy at Tech-Safe Learning.

A special thank you to Buckets Over Bullying who provided a generous donation in support of this mini-series.