Why is educational technology at school different, and potentially more dangerous than screen time at home? Emily Cherkin explains why edtech is not the solution it promised to be. Kids are getting on YouTube, Discord, and unrestricted internet access at school—and parents are being left in the dark.

In this bonus episode of The Screen Less Play More Podcast, host Cynthia Dvorak sits down with Emily Cherkin, nationally known as The Screen Time Consultant, to unpack what's really happening inside tech-heavy classrooms—and why parents should be paying close attention.

Emily recently testified before the U.S. Senate on the harms of EdTech, and in this conversation, she explains how school-issued iPads and classroom technology are exposing kids to online predators, violent content, self-harm videos, spam, and misinformation—often during the school day. What many parents assume is "safe, educational screen time" may actually be putting children at serious cognitive, emotional, and developmental risk.

Parents are often told that classroom technology, 1:1 devices, Chromebooks, and school-issued iPads are "safe" and "educational." But the research shows that edtech is making kids more distracted, making them dumber, stealing personal information, and exposing them to online danger.

Emily also explains her class action lawsuit against PowerSchool. PowerSchool products including Schoology and Naviance are used by the vast majority of U.S. public schools. The lawsuit raises serious concerns about student data privacy, children's data collection, parental consent, and whether student information is being monetized by EdTech companies.

In this episode, we discuss:

iPads in the classroom and elementary school screen time
Why EdTech in schools is replacing human instruction instead of supporting it
How excessive screen time at school affects focus, behavior, emotional regulation, and social skills
Why kids and young adults are struggling with eye contact, communication, empathy, and real-world human interaction
Why most media literacy programs fail—and how real critical thinking can be taught without screens
How misinformation, deepfakes, and AI tools like ChatGPT make truth harder for kids to recognize
How media literacy has been co-opted by tech companies and why true critical thinking does not require a screen
What parents need to understand about misinformation, deepfakes, AI tools like ChatGPT, and truth in the digital age

This conversation is essential listening for parents worried about:

Screen time and child development
Technology in elementary school
EdTech data privacy and student surveillance
Online safety for kids at school
Digital addiction, attention issues, and emotional dysregulation
Public school iPads and 1:1 device programs and Chromebooks

This episode is not anti-technology. It is pro-child, pro-parent, and pro-informed consent.

🎧 If you've ever searched: "Are iPads bad for kids?" "Too much screen time at school" "EdTech dangers" "YouTube access in schools" "Student data privacy apps" "Should kids use iPads in elementary school?"

This episode answers those questions!!

Emily Cherkin is the author of The Screen Time Solution and writes on Substack at First Fish Chronicles. 🌱 Learn more about reducing screen time and increasing play at screenlessplaymore.com.

Subscribe, follow, and share to help other parents find trusted information about screen time, EdTech, and raising healthy kids in a digital world.

More about Screen Less Play More, the best parenting podcast about kids and screens:

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Welcome to the Screen Less Play More podcast — the best parenting podcast for raising balanced, confident kids in the digital age by reducing screen time, managing gaming and social media, and restoring play-based childhoods.

Hosted by Cynthia Dvorak of ScreenLessPlayMore.com, we share expert advice and research-backed strategies to help parents create healthy screen habits, set realistic tech boundaries, and build stronger family connection without constant monitoring or power struggles. Each episode gives you practical tools for reducing screen time battles, ensuring online safety for kids, and age-appropriate digital limits. We discuss if there is such thing as healthy screen time, and what are some good guidelines for screen time by age. It's the podcast for moms and the podcast for dads who care about keeping kids balanced and brilliant!

What's the best parenting podcast about play and screens? Check out the top 6 episodes from 2025 of Screen Less Play More : https://screenlessplaymore.com/top-rated-parenting-podcast-episodes-of-the-year-our-most-listened-most-loved-conversations/

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Too Much Screen Time At School? Why Parents Are Suing Education Technology Apps - Emily Cherkin