Community Call to Action Letter for Safe, Clear & Accountable Technology Standards in Sudbury Public Schools
A campaign from Turning Life On - Sudbury for Digital Balance
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Why This Matters
Dear Sudbury Families,
We are concerned about unclear, potentially harmful and unaccountable use of technology in our public schools. In discussions with other parents we have heard of many instances of improper and potentially harmful content viewed and shared by schoolchildren on SPS-issued devices and platforms. Additionally, many of you have shared concerns about overuse and a lack of clarity regarding what our children have access to, why they have access to it, and what the educational benefit of these tools and platforms are.
While SPS has recently announced some technology changes, these measures do not yet provide a consistent approach across grades. Some of the practices being introduced for 6th grade, for example, are not in place for other grades, and it remains unclear what protections and expectations apply across the rest of the district. Gamified platforms remain in use, there are no clear district-wide guidelines on the use of screens in the classrooms.
At the heart of these concerns is a growing gap between what the district says is happening in our schools and what families and students are actually experiencing--and without transparent policies, meaningful measurement, and accountability, families have no way to know whether concerns are being addressed.
For research and information regarding technology in our schools and what has influenced our positions, we encourage you to visit our website. In the meantime, we have put forward evidence-based practices and policies to create a safer and better learning environment for our children.
Your support will make a difference for every child in Sudbury Public Schools. We appreciate your support.
Sincerely,
The Coalition of Concerned Families at Sudbury for Digital Balance
https://www.sudburyfordigitalbalance.org
What We Are Asking the District and School Committee To Do:
1. Prioritize developmentally appropriate, effective, human-centered instruction by:
- Making the default mode of education human-led, face-to-face instruction, with screens used only when they serve a clear educational purpose.
- Restoring physical texts, books, and paper-and-pencil work as the default for reading and writing, and core-subject practice, reserving screens for tasks that clearly require them.
- Eliminating all device use for K - 2.
- Eliminate 1:1 device use for 3 - 8, limited device use with computer cart or lab model as is deemed curriculum appropriate.
- Eliminating open internet browsing on Chromebooks unless there is a situation where it is specifically required for instruction.
- Eliminating gamified learning platforms designed to encourage habitual or excessive use.
- Limiting the use of technology during transition periods, "brain breaks," and movement breaks by prioritizing human-led exercises (e.g., Simon Says or other similar games vs. GoNoodle, and other screen-based activities).
- Establishing clear, developmentally appropriate guidelines on screen time per grade, based on the purpose and type of use, and the need to preserve non-screen based learning, including an explicit end to technology use during unstructured/downtime periods.
- School Committee adopting a clear District technology policy outlining goals, standards, and expectations for technology use.
- School Committee establishing and overseeing consistent, district-wide standards for technology use across classrooms and schools that are evidence-informed and developmentally appropriate, with the District responsible for implementation, so a child's experience is consistent and does not depend on which teacher they are assigned.
- District providing families with a clear educational rationale for technology use, beyond simply meeting curriculum standards or being labeled “active” rather than “passive” (i.e., demonstrating meaningful enhancement of learning beyond current best practices using analog methods), and publishing a list of all products, programs, and platforms used by grade level.
- District publicly tracking and reporting district-wide device-use data by grade, so families and the School Committee can evaluate policy and progress with real numbers rather than anecdote.
- School Committee establishing clear standards for internet access and directing the District to implement a whitelist environment where open internet browsing is not allowed, rather than relying primarily on a blacklist approach.
- School Committee establishing a policy for meaningful family participation in the ongoing evaluation, review, and “recalibration” of educational technology, with the District responsible for implementing that process.
- School Committee establishing clear standards for informed consent and opt-out options, with the District responsible for implementation, including alternatives that provide an equivalent educational experience. This is particularly important given multiple documented incidents of students accessing inappropriate content or games on school-issued devices.
- School Committee adopting a policy that bans student use of AI in SPS schools, with the District responsible for regular verification that AI restrictions prevent access to AI tools on school-issued devices.
These standards should be established and implemented at the District level, not left to individual teachers or principals. The District should publicly report on progress so families and the School Committee can see whether these standards are actually being met. Per Interim Superintendent Doyle's August 2026 Family Letter "While challenges are inevitable, we will address them collaboratively and compassionately. We deeply appreciate your partnership with us. We all do better when we work together." We aspire to collaborate and bring the very best to all Sudbury students, per the District Curriculum Accommodation Plan.