NYSUT calls for school screen, AI limits

New York State United Teachers said June 1 that its 82-member board of directors had approved a resolution calling for developmentally appropriate limits on educational technology and student-facing artificial intelligence in schools. The union said the measure is aimed especially at younger students and says educators, parents and families — not technology companies — should shape how classroom technology is used. (nysut.org) The vote puts New York’s largest teachers union into a fast-moving state debate over how much screen use belongs in classrooms after years of one-to-one devices, online assignments and new AI tools. (msn.com) Gov. Kathy Hochul said June 1 that she is open to limiting screen time for younger students in schools, citing concerns she has heard from parents and educators about early elementary children using individual laptops and iPads. (gothamist.com) ### What exactly did the union approve? NYSUT said the board passed a resolution this weekend calling for “developmentally appropriate limits” on screen time and artificial intelligence in New York schools. The union’s public statement framed the measure as a push to curb technology use for the youngest learners while keeping decisions in the hands of adults in schools and families, rather than vendors. (nysut.org) MSN summaries of local television coverage described the proposal in more specific terms. Those reports said the union-backed approach would bar individual screen use through second grade, eliminate school-issued laptops and student AI tools in pre-K through second grade, and preserve paper-testing options as districts reconsider education technology policies. (gothamist.com) ### How far would the limits go in the early grades? Pre-K through second grade is the sharpest line in the reporting so far. A June 1 television summary said NYSUT wants to do away with school-issued laptops and student AI tools for those grades, while another said the resolution calls for no individual screen use through second grade. (nysut.org) WKBW, citing the union proposal, reported that the call is for limits on screen time and student-facing AI, especially for younger students. That leaves room for teacher-directed uses or exceptions, but the public descriptions available on June 2 centered on reducing direct device use by the youngest children. (msn.com) ### Why is this moving now in New York? Kathy Hochul said Monday she is open to imposing limits on screen time for younger students, linking the issue to the state’s recent move on phones in schools. Gothamist reported that Hochul said her “gut tells me that’s the way to go” after hearing concerns from parents and educators about young children using classroom devices. (msn.com) New York already enacted a statewide school cellphone restriction as part of the 2026 budget signed May 9. Hochul had launched that push in January 2025 under a “More Learning, Less Scrolling” campaign, and the new screen-time debate extends that broader effort from phones to classroom technology. (wkbw.com) ### Who is warning against blanket limits? K-12 Dive reported June 1 that disability advocates want nuance in any school screen-time policy. The publication cited Denise Marshall of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, who said blanket rules could worsen existing challenges and run afoul of federal law. (gothamist.com) COPAA has previously warned that limits on computer screen time or device access can affect assistive technology and accommodations for students with disabilities. That means any statewide or district policy in New York is likely to face questions about exemptions, individualized supports and compliance with federal protections. (abc7ny.com) ### What happens next? June 1 marked the union board vote, not a state mandate. The next steps are likely to come through NYSUT advocacy, district policy debates and possible action from Hochul or state education officials as they weigh whether younger-grade screen limits should be written into broader school rules. (k12dive.com) Gothamist reported that Hochul is open to the idea, and NYSUT has already published the resolution publicly. Those two developments give school districts, parents and disability advocates a defined starting point for the next round of policy discussions in New York. (gothamist.com) (nysut.org) (copaa.org)