By Annali Hayward
New Canaan Public Schools took a decisive step to join a national conversation this month, by directly asking parents, teachers and students to share their thoughts on smartphones in schools.
Dr. Bryan Luizzi, Superintendent, circulated an AI platform called ThoughtExchange to the NCPS community on Friday, May 24th. The online tool has been collecting thoughts — and, crucially, participants’ ratings of others’ thoughts — for two weeks, closing this past Saturday.
The aim, according to board of education member Julie Toal, is to make for “informed decisions that reflect all perspectives within the community.”
Local dialogue, seemingly ignited in part by the New Canaan CARES-sponsored events featuring Max Stossel, a former tech company employee whose speeches tell teens “We’ve Been Sneaking into Your Brain,” is also inspired by the popularity of the NYT-bestseller The Anxious Generation, the blockbuster book by NYU Stern professor and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt.
Haidt, who has recently appeared everywhere from Oprah to the Daily Show, asserts that the “Great Rewiring” of childhood can be traced back to 2010, with mass availability of smartphones, and that this “phone-based childhood” is resulting in unprecedented rates of child and teen mental illness.
It’s a thesis that rings true for many New Canaan parents.
“It’s been a hot topic in our community and many surrounding communities,” said Toal.
Indeed, Westport school board has been studying the issue, according to reports, and Darien, Greenwich and Fairfield all have chapters of the organization OK to Delay. New Canaan’s own group, New Canaan Unplugged, also held their first event this past week.
“The feedback helps to ensure that decision-making processes are transparent,” said Toal. “It will help identify the community’s priorities as well as potential issues.”
As for next steps, there is no indication at present of the results of the survey or the timelines involved. But board of education member Lara Kelly told the Sentinel that the board is “working collaboratively with the administration through the communication, governance and resource sub-committees, discussing the best strategy for updating enforcement of our current no-phone policy at Saxe.”
Toal wants parents to know that they can contact the Board of Education members about this or any topic of insterest to them. The website is https://www.ncps-k12.org/o/ncps/page/about-the-board-of-education which contains contact information.
