Teacher laments schools enabling 'iPad kids': 'We know kids can't handle this'

A teacher (u/forbetterorworsted on Reddit) noticed a post criticizing parents for allowing their kids to use iPads, screens, or phones. It was confusing because every school they had taught in had asked students to bring smart devices and then blamed the parents for allowing their kids more screen time. The teacher who had worked in over 6 schools as a substitute teacher shared a post on November 6, 2025, and said that they never understood why schools allow iPads or Chromebooks when they know technology isn't good for the kids. Speaking exclusively to Scoop Upworthy, the teacher shared that the shift to full digital reliance "happened before 2015," when they began working full-time in special education.

"How can we, in good conscience, give them this technology that we know they do not have the brain capacity (yet) to use wisely?" the teacher asked. While they were aware of criticism coming their way, the teacher confessed to their anger at reading such posts. "I just read a comment on a different post where someone (I'm assuming is a teacher) said, 'No one forces parents to give their kids iPads!' Umm... what? We literally DO FORCE PARENTS to give their kids iPads/Chromebooks to bring home," they concluded. "It first really struck me the wrong way when I was subbing in a kinder class," they told Scoop. "The kids did a 'brain break' that was about 15 minutes in front of a screen where they learned about some topic, then had about 5 minutes of a corresponding movement activity." 

While the majority of the time, parents are blamed for allowing kids to use smart devices, a survey of 1000 parents by ParentsTogether Action has found a contrasting notion. In fact, the survey found that 69% of parents oppose schools asking students to use phones to participate in school activities, and of those parents, 43% felt very strongly about it. The teacher also added that the frustration is universal among parents, saying, "I’ve had a lot of parent-to-parent conversations where they lament not being able to send their child to a private Waldorf-style school to avoid the tech. If they’re trying to get their kids off tech, how can they do that if the teacher is reinforcing it?"

They added, "It’s not simply the content that’s the distracting force — it’s the device itself. We also know this about adults. How often do you read an article on your phone but stop mid-way to check your email? You don’t do that with a newspaper (at least as frequently)." When asked how they would redesign classroom policy around tech for a balanced approach, they said, "No tech before middle school. The argument that we need to prepare our kids for the future is ridiculous. Nothing a ten-year-old comes into contact with today will be similar to what they’re using in the future." They also said that they use "ZERO tech" in their daughter's preschool as the teacher, adding, "We don't need it for storytime or brainbreaks or entertainment. It is doable."

Meanwhile, reacting to the teacher's post, u/longislandnerd commented, "After working in the NYCDoE (New York City Department of Education) and hearing how upper [management] people talk. School is now a business. It's no longer in the best interests of the child; it's 'How do I get that tax money?' Yeah, the schools are enabling it, but it's so they can check that box and get more money. There is no reason a kindergarten student, or even up to grade 4, needs an iPad. But nope, every kid gets one."

u/zestyclosesquirrel55 said, "You are exactly right. We cannot in good conscience support more screen time. I'm also thinking of the number of days we've already had wifi issues or apps not working. Then we scramble to print paper copies of things. I'd rather do everything without iPads most days, although to be honest. I have over 100 students, so I love to use Google Forms." u/emkems shared, "I am a parent of an Early Childhood Education (ECE) preschooler, and found out they assign Chromebooks to every kid starting in kindergarten in my whole county. They expect the child to bring it charged to school every day, and if they forget it for more than three days, they get detention. WTF."

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