NYC Council Questions Department of Education on Screen Time and AI in Schools
The New York City Council held a hearing to question the Department of Education (DOE) regarding the use of technology, including screen time and artificial intelligence, in city public schools. Council members Shekar Krishnan and Eric Dinowitz expressed concerns that extensive screen time does not demonstrably improve learning outcomes. They specifically advocated for blocking students from unrestricted access to platforms like YouTube on school-issued devices, citing instances of students using these platforms for non-educational purposes. In response, Scott Strickland, the DOE's chief information officer, announced that YouTube had been filtered out of all student devices as of Wednesday night. The Council's inquiry also delved into the DOE's technology contracting processes, its guidelines for AI use, and the effectiveness of the existing cellphone ban. A 28-page briefing report released by the City Council, based on years of research and audits, indicated that increased screen time and device usage do...
