This article was republished with permission from 小萝莉影视鈥檚 news partner . Sign up for Read the article on Inside Nova.聽
Prince William County Public Schools has announced students will no longer be able to access YouTube on school-issued devices starting in the 2026-27 school year.
Students will no longer be able to access YouTube directly on their school division-issued devices, both in school and at home. This includes Youtube.com and the YouTube app.
鈥淲hile online video can be a valuable instructional resource, there is not an effective, reliable way within YouTube to consistently limit students to a single video within the YouTube platform,鈥� Superintendent LaTanya McDade at the School Board鈥檚 May 20 meeting. 鈥淎s a result, this change is intended to better support student engagement and appropriate technology use, supporting both teachers and families.鈥�
The shift does not, however, eliminate the use of videos in instruction. Teachers will continue to incorporate video and multimedia resources aligned with curriculum, and students will still be able to view teacher-selected videos through approved instructional platforms, officials said.
Local resident Kate Olson-Flynn spoke at the May 20 School Board meeting to advocate for even further limitations on technology in classrooms.
鈥淐hildren in elementary school, at least, do not need to learn on iPads or computers. Solely taking away YouTube will not change the outcome,鈥� Olson-Flynn said. 鈥淭he problem is the computer itself.鈥�
Instead, Olson-Flynn advocated for a return to the times before technology was prevalent in school, with paper, pencils and physical copies of books.
鈥淧WCS has spent millions of dollars on tech programs, online curriculum, iPads, with the mistaken belief that this technology would be the panacea for test scores and to prepare students for the digital age,鈥� Olson-Flynn said. 鈥淭he reality is that our kids are struggling more than ever.鈥�
Olson-Flynn said kids are struggling to focus and are overstimulated because 鈥渢hey are now spending much of their time on computers, their free time on computers, isolated with headphones on, in classrooms staring at screens.鈥�
She pointed to research that shows watching or reading a computer or iPad is not the same as reading a book or being read to by a teacher or parent holding a book.
鈥淐ounting actual manipulatives is not the same thing as watching a video count for you,鈥� she said.
Fellow parent and school system staff member Megan Feaman also spoke about the change. While she said she was appreciative action was being taken to remove access to YouTube, she wished these concerns had been recognized sooner.
鈥淥ne of my own students was using YouTube during the school day to search for things like Lego and hockey videos,鈥� Feaman said. 鈥淥ver time, the algorithm began suggesting disturbing and inappropriate content. I did not consent to that exposure.鈥�
鈥淲hen I review the device for a school day, it is alarming to see how much time is spent not only on the device itself but specifically on YouTube during school hours,鈥� Feaman said.
She said the school system is increasingly reliant on screens for instruction despite growing evidence about the 鈥渁ddictive鈥� nature of technology and its impact on learning and development.
Like Olson-Flynn, Feaman pointed to research that shows the negative impacts screen time can have on attention, reading development and overall learning.
In her part-time role as a support nurse in the school system, Feaman said she has treated students for headaches that are directly attributed to school screen time use.
鈥淭echnology will continue to be a part of our students鈥� lives, but we must find a healthier balance that allows students to learn, build relationships and develop healthy habits,鈥� Feaman said.
McDade said the school system will continue to evaluate and refine how 鈥渋nstructional technology鈥� is used in the classrooms to ensure it is 鈥減urposeful, age appropriate and supports student success.鈥�
