Beverly Hills Parents Launch Initiative to Reduce Screen Time

News Summary

In response to growing concerns about screen exposure among students, parents in the Beverly Hills Unified School District have initiated the PAUSE initiative, advocating for reduced screen time in elementary education. Spearheaded by clinical psychologist Dr. Rashelle Hakak, PAUSE aims to delay smartphone use until eighth grade and promote safe technology practices. Supported by district officials, the initiative seeks to gather data on classroom screen usage and address parents’ worries about inappropriate content. With a focus on students’ health and learning, PAUSE offers a strategy to ensure tech use benefits rather than hinders young learners.

Beverly Hills – A cohort of concerned parents in the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD) has launched an initiative titled Promoting Alternatives to Unhealthy Screen Exposure (PAUSE), aimed at reducing overall screen time among elementary school students. This initiative comes in response to increasing worries from parents regarding the prevalence of screen usage for both educational and leisure activities.

Formal meetings for the PAUSE initiative began this school year, reflecting the urgency parents feel about the impact of screens on children’s health and learning. The group is spearheaded by several founding members, including Dr. Rashelle Hakak, a clinical psychologist, who identified the critical need for change in screen exposure practices within the district.

One of the primary goals of PAUSE is to advocate against the provision of smartphones to children before they reach eighth grade. The group is also focused on gathering information about screen usage in BHUSD classrooms and pushing for essential changes related to educational screen use. To bolster their efforts, PAUSE has signed a pledge with Wait Until 8th, a national initiative that encourages schools to delay the distribution of smartphones until at least the eighth grade.

Collaboration with BHUSD officials is a crucial aspect of PAUSE’s mission, as the group seeks to collect comprehensive data on the use of electronic devices such as iPads, tablets, and laptops in educational settings. Dr. Dustin Seemann, the Assistant Superintendent of Education Services for BHUSD, has expressed support for this initiative, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing students’ social-emotional health while fostering academic focus.

Statistics indicate that elementary students in BHUSD spend an average of only 30 minutes per week on i-Ready, an online platform for reading and math instruction, against a backdrop of approximately 1,590 total minutes of classroom instruction. This data suggests that screen usage may not be as extensive as some parents might think, dispelling certain misconceptions about frequent screen exposure during assessments.

In contrast, some members of PAUSE argue that any screen use at early academic stages could hinder neurological development related to handwriting and reading abilities. Dr. Jane Tavyev Asher, another founding member of PAUSE, has called for no use of iPads in classrooms for young children, specifically those in pre-K, kindergarten, and first grade. Parents’ concerns about inappropriate content accessible on school-issued devices have also grown, prompting discussions about safety and supervision.

An incident reported by Dr. Pantea Farhadi, a member of the initiative, highlighted the potential risks involved. Her eight-year-old son reportedly encountered sexual content online while left unattended with an iPad during class, leading to significant alarm among parents. Dr. Seemann acknowledged the seriousness of this incident, confirming that the district acted quickly to restrict access to the site in question.

Dr. Hakak noted that situations like these illustrate a disconnect between district officials and the realities present in classrooms, particularly regarding how students are supervised during their free time with technology. As PAUSE continues to grow, it aims to foster awareness, ensure effective use of technology in education, and advocate for the well-being of young learners throughout the BHUSD community.

With mounting concerns surrounding screen time and its effects on children’s development, the PAUSE initiative seeks not only to address existing issues but also to prepare for a future where students can thrive in both educational settings and personal development free from excessive screen exposure.

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• Beverly Hills Courier: Parents Seek to Reduce Screen Time at BHUSD Elementary Schools
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• Wikipedia: Screen Time
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