Oklahoma Father Protests Student YouTube Use in Classroom

A parent in Oklahoma has voiced strong concerns to school administrators regarding the amount of time his son spent watching YouTube videos during school hours. Jeff Howard, whose son attends a public school in the Carl Albert district, reported to the Mid-Del Public Schools Board of Education on October 12 that his child watched approximately 120 YouTube videos over a four-day period.

Howard stated that during a parent-teacher conference, he learned his son was permitted to use YouTube and listen to music during free time. "My son has watched 120 videos from Monday through Thursday, and I checked the time code, and they were all during school hours," Howard told the board. He believes his son was using the videos to help complete assignments quickly, noting instances where the student completed tests in minimal time to resume watching videos. "He wants to get it done so he can watch another YouTube video. He's a great kid, but he's addicted to screens," Howard added.

Following his inquiry, the school adjusted the policy for his son, limiting free time to music only. Howard mentioned that while personal phones are prohibited under the state's bell-to-bell law, exceptions exist for devices like Chromebooks. He urged the board to consider banning YouTube, similar to restrictions placed on other applications like Libby and Scratch.

The Mid-Del Public Schools District serves about 13,000 students across 21 sites. Dr. Rick Cobb, the superintendent of Mid-Del Schools, acknowledged Howard's concerns as a significant topic for discussion. "I was just taking mental note of what he said because I think it's an important conversation for us to have," Cobb told KOCO News. He emphasized the need to differentiate between screen time used for instruction and screen time during free periods.

Cobb referenced a legislative session earlier in the year where House Bill 4358 proposed limiting screen time for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade to one hour per school day. The bill passed the House but did not advance in the Senate. Cobb anticipates the topic will be revisited in the upcoming legislative session, noting conversations with other superintendents who expect it to be a primary focus. He also stressed that screen time should not be used as an incentive for students to rush through their schoolwork. "We don't want to incentivize students finishing their work fast rather than done well, so I think it's an important conversation for us to have," Cobb stated.

The Los Angeles Unified School District previously implemented a ban on laptops and tablets in classrooms earlier this year, a move that prompted discussions among parents whose children's grades reportedly declined due to distractions from online games, YouTube, and social media. A Pew Research Center survey indicates that a vast majority of parents of young children report their kids use televisions, tablets, and smartphones, with AI also noted as a significant factor in their media consumption.