Technology in the Classroom: Questions School Leaders Can’t Ignore

Over the past few weeks, I have found myself in several conversations with educators circling around a familiar but increasingly complex question:

Should students have access to technology in the classroom, or should schools be moving toward tighter restrictions?

This question is no longer theoretical. With active discussions at the Kansas legislative level and growing public concern about student wellbeing, school leaders are being asked to weigh instructional opportunity, mental health, community expectations, and policy all at the same time.

Rather than rushing to an answer, this moment may be inviting us to slow down and reflect.

The Tension Leaders Are Holding

On one hand, technology has become deeply woven into teaching and learning. Digital tools support accessibility, differentiation, efficiency, creativity, and real world skill development. Many classrooms rely on technology not as an add on, but as infrastructure.

On the other hand, growing research and popular discourse, including reflections sparked by The Anxious Generation, raise important questions about attention, social development, anxiety, and the long term impact of constant connectivity on young people.

Great topic for a coaching session!

For school leaders, the tension is not about being for or against technology. It is about navigating competing truths:

• Technology can amplify learning and distraction

• Connection can support collaboration and fuel anxiety

• Restrictions can create focus and unintended consequences

Rarely is the decision as simple as a yes or no.

Questions Worth Sitting With

Instead of starting with policies or procedures, leaders might consider beginning with reflection:

• What problem are we actually trying to solve?

• When technology is present in classrooms, what behaviors are we seeing, both positive and concerning?

• Are our expectations for technology use clear, consistent, and developmentally appropriate?

• How do our students experience technology during the school day compared to outside of school?

• Whose voices are informing our decisions, students, staff, families, community?

These questions do not demand immediate answers, but they do demand intentional leadership.

The Leadership Layer

What complicates this issue further is that any decision about student technology use sends a message about trust, autonomy, learning priorities, and wellbeing.

School leaders are balancing:

• Instructional impact

• Teacher capacity and classroom management

• Equity and access

• Student mental health

• Legislative direction and community values

The challenge is not just deciding what to do, but how to lead people through the decision making process with clarity and care.

A Moment for Thoughtful Leadership

Perhaps this is less about drawing a hard line and more about asking better questions, engaging in honest dialogue, and being willing to revisit decisions as new information emerges.

Leadership in this space may look like:

• Creating structured opportunities for staff conversation

• Communicating transparently with families

• Piloting approaches rather than issuing permanent mandates

• Acknowledging uncertainty while maintaining purpose

Looking Ahead

This conversation is not going away, and it should not. In future posts, I will continue to explore:

• How leaders can facilitate productive conversations on polarizing topics

• What research tells us, and does not tell us, about student wellbeing and learning

• Ways schools can build shared understanding before building policy

• How leadership clarity can reduce anxiety, even when answers are not simple

For now, the question may not be “Should students have technology in the classroom?”It may be “How do we lead thoughtfully when the answer is not clear?”