New York State Bill Proposes Strict Limits on Classroom Technology Use
State Senator Andrew Gounardes, a Brooklyn Democrat, is introducing the Fostering Optimal Classroom Use of Screens Act in Albany, aiming to significantly restrict students' exposure to screens and artificial intelligence in schools. The proposed legislation mandates screen-free, largely pencil-and-paper-based learning for kindergarten through fifth grade. For middle school, students would access 'computers on a cart' or computer labs for specific lessons, moving away from the prevalent 1:1 device model. High school students could opt into 1:1 computer access with parental consent or borrow laptops from a cart. The bill also seeks to ban social media, chatbots, generative AI, direct messaging, gaming, and computer-based cameras in schools. Senator Gounardes expressed increasing concern about the proliferation of screens, edtech platforms, and AI in educational settings, emphasizing the need for intentional technology use. The bill includes exemptions for students with disabilities who require devices for le... 
