# data[].attributes.body
As extreme weather conditions like heat and flooding threaten school surroundings, climate change is having an increasing impact on elementary education in the United States and around the world. Legislators and school boards are resisting student demands for more climate change education, which reflects broader social disagreements over what should be taught about the topic.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
As Extreme Weather Batters Schools, Students Are Pushing For More Climate Change Education - Inside Climate News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Though climate change education varies across public schools in the U.S., extreme weather impacts are affecting them all.

# data[].attributes.body
Research indicates a noteworthy surge of school days over 80 degrees in the United States since 1970, despite the fact that several schools do not have air conditioning. As reported by Washington Post reporter Anna Phillips, overheated classrooms present threats to students' academic performance and health, especially in poor institutions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
As temperatures rise, schools without AC struggle to keep students healthy and learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Studies show that in more places in the United States, there are now more days hotter than 80 degrees during the school year than there were in 1970. Schools that can’t afford air conditioning are struggling with overheated classrooms, which researchers say pose both academic and health risks. John Yang speaks with Washington Post reporter Anna Phillips, who covers climate change, for more.

# data[].attributes.body
Following complaints about disruptions in the classroom and the effect on kids' focus and mental health from families, instructors, and students, several Kansas school districts have implemented cell phone bans. Becky Grubaugh, an official from Olathe Public Schools, emphasized the importance of teaching children ethical phone use while putting their education and wellbeing first in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. - Share your story idea with Olivia.
Many students in Kansas have returned to school with new bans on cell phones. These changes came after districts heard from students, families, and teachers about how disruptive they can be during class.

"We recognize that cell phones and electronic devices are a normal part of our everyday life today. Part of education is educating students on how to use those appropriately. At the same time, as an educational institution, our number one priority is making sure that our students are learning when they're in our classrooms and when we have them with us," said Becky Grubaugh with Olathe Public Schools.

In Olathe, students in eighth grade and younger are not allowed to use devices during the school day. High schoolers can use them outside of class, like lunch and passing period, but can only use them in class if the teacher allows it. Students can always use them in an emergency or if they need them for their health.

Christian Shirey is a student who told KSHB 41 they understand why the rule needs to be in place.

"I get why people want to be on their phones so much," said Shirey. "I feel like it's fair because they don't want people on it."

Other districts in Johnson County with new phone policies are the Shawnee Mission School District and the Gardner Edgerton Unified School District. These districts are joining many others throughout the country in this movement.

The National Center for Education Statistics reported that by 2020, 77% of schools had banned cell phones. A big reason cited for this is mental health and the impact phones are having on kids.

Tim DeWeese is the director of Johnson County Mental Health, where they're constantly working to understand the relationship between cell phones and mental health. He says the distractions they pose for students go deeper than interrupting their teacher's lesson.

"What we're trying to do, is help prepare kids both emotionally, socially and academically, for the future. And yeah, technology is going to be a part of that, but they're also going to have to be able to have relationships with people. They're also going to have to be able to keep their attention on a certain subject at any given time," said DeWeese.

DeWeese says that although phones are meant to keep us connected and keep our attention, they're keeping students' attention in the wrong place.

This was a concern we heard from parents throughout the week as well - that cell phones take a mental toll on students.

Other parents had concerns about safety, but DeWeese called phones a "safety net that isn't there." He said these policies will force parents to think more about why they're contacting their students during the school day and to trust educators and school staff to handle safety concerns.

"We have these devices that are supposed to keep us connected, that are supposed to improve our lives, and they do in so many ways. But what we're learning is that there are also these unintended consequences. And, you know, distracting ourselves," said DeWeese.

DeWeese has high hopes for the new policies.

"My guess is that we will begin to see kids that that are able to be able to hold a conversation, that'll be able to hold their attention in the classroom for a more extended period of time, they may do better in school. And I think it'll also get us to the point that we can begin to communicate and have interactions with other human beings, not through a device, but person to person. And I think that is huge," said DeWeese.

The National Educators Association says phone bans are to improve things like cyberbullying, attendance, and students' mental health. That echoes what DeWeese said about creating a healthy learning environment when it comes to the academic material students have in front of them but that also helps students social and emotional learning.

-

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Experts hope the phone ban in schools improves students' mental health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many students in Kansas have returned to school with new bans on cell phones. A big reason cited for this is mental health and the impact phones are having on kids.

# data[].attributes.body
Beyond just physical exercise, physical education (PE) includes instruction on mental, social, and emotional health. In addition to teaching students about sports and fitness, the curriculum also covers lifestyle maintenance and balance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How PE Boosts Student Mental Health | NEA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Through exercise and building skills to build confidence, physical education promotes student well-being in a variety of ways.

# data[].attributes.body
Schools and parents are taking personal responsibility for safety precautions, such as building emergency windows and buying bulletproof backpacks, in reaction to an increase in school shootings and a lack of comprehensive gun control laws. There have been at least 32 shootings on K–12 campuses this year, so schools are putting more and more emphasis on readiness, including installing devices like panic buttons to promptly notify law police.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
With the rising number of school shootings and a lack of meaningful legislation to curb gun violence, schools and parents are attempting to take safety into their own hands.

Gun violence has changed day-to-day life in and out of the classroom, with more time and resources being funneled into preparing for worst-case scenarios.

While some school districts invest in additional safety measures, such as easy-to-exit emergency windows, some parents are adding bulletproof backpacks to their children's back-to-school shopping lists.

This year, at least 37 shootings were reported on K-12 school grounds, according to a CNN data analysis as of September 19. There were at least 16 others on university and college campuses.

With the exception of 2020 - when schools largely switched to online learning - school shootings have become more frequent nationwide. More than 300 have been reported since 2018, according to CNN's analysis.

"I've come to terms with the fact that I might die in my classroom," said Briana Takhtani, a seventh-grade teacher in Middlesex County, New Jersey. "School was a good place to be a kid, and it just feels like that's kind of changing."

In light of rising gun violence, classroom fixtures - such as door locks and windows - have been upgraded to increase security.

Here are some items that educators across the country say have been installed in their schools that may seem ordinary but serve a hidden purpose.

Bullet-resistant windows that double as emergency exits

Hannah Lee, a high school English teacher in Irvine, California, who started her career during the Covid-19 pandemic, said she thinks frequently about how she would barricade her door or what she would do if a shooter broke through her door lock.

"I'm a young teacher and sometimes I wonder, is it going to be the best right now?" she said. "Will it just get worse and harder?"

Lee isn't the only one questioning her future as a teacher. With school shootings on the rise and pandemic-disrupted learning taking a toll on teachers who feel increasingly burned out, public education is struggling to attract - and retain - qualified school staff, said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, the largest teachers' union in the country.

Gun rights activists have long proposed arming teachers to combat school shootings. Most educators, however, say putting guns in teachers' hands isn't the answer. More than half of US teachers believe being armed would make schools less safe, according to a recent survey from the RAND Corporation.

"I'm already a babysitter, a mother, a mental health counselor," said Takhtani. "I don't want to be a police officer."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Gun violence is remaking America's classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
School shootings are on the rise, and some schools are taking preventative action as gun safety measures remain stalled.

# data[].attributes.body
More than 1,700 American schools are getting the cutting-edge 911inform system installed in order to enhance communication and speed up emergency response times as worries about school safety continue to rise. By enabling real-time access to video systems, door controls, and quiet communication, the program links school personnel, dispatchers, and first responders and speeds up emergency response times by 60%.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As the back-to-school season kicks off, the focus on school safety intensifies for parents, students, teachers and those entrusted with campus security. One high-tech system being installed in schools nationwide aims to help in cases of emergencies by reducing response times and improving communication.

The security software, 911inform, seamlessly connects school staff, dispatchers and first responders in real time. It also connects all technology in a building, including camera systems and the HVAC, according to founder Ivo Allen, who said it leads to about a 60% reduction in response time.

"We give them instantaneous access to everything," Allen said.

911inform also allows users to instantly see into classrooms, lock and unlock doors and communicate silently.

The system is currently deployed in over 1,700 schools across the U.S. and can help in situations ranging from fights to health incidents to gun violence.

There were more than 50 school shootings reported in the United States in 2022, resulting in 40 deaths and 100 injuries, according to Education Week's 2022 School Shooting Tracker. This year, 25 school shootings occurred before the summer break.

The importance of swift response time was seen with the Parkland shooting in 2018. Officers took only five minutes to arrive at the scene but a staggering 11 minutes to enter the school. By that time, the shooter had fled and 17 people were killed.

911inform's system seeks to expedite the notification process by alerting school staff before the phone even rings at 911 dispatch.

In 2019, school resource officer Kris Sandman, had to respond to a credible active shooter threat that emerged as students were arriving at the Morris County School of Technology in New Jersey. The lack of instant communication with off-campus staff during lockdown led to her install the 911inform system.

"There's no doubt in my mind that this system will save lives," Sandman said.

Police departments receive the system for free when school districts sign up. Depending on a school's size, installation costs can reach up to $25,000, with maintenance expenses around $5,000 annually.

More from CBS News

Meg Oliver

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
High-tech system enhances school safety by cutting response times to shootings, emergencies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
911inform connects school staff, dispatchers and first responders in real-time, links technology in a building and allows users to see into classrooms and communicate silently.

# data[].attributes.body
Senate Bill 1329, a new law in Idaho, mandates that schools get parental permission before providing non-life-threatening medical treatments, such as first aid and over-the-counter medication. In order to comply, the Boise School District amended its policy and informed parents that consent is now needed for common treatments like Band-Aids, mental health check-ins, and headache medication.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Idaho school district now needs parental consent for Band-Aids and other basic first aid

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Senate Bill 1329 states that “an individual shall not furnish a health care service ... to a minor child without obtaining the prior consent of the minor child’s parent.”

# data[].attributes.body
Tony Elsoury, a Windsor, Ontario, grade 6 student, started choking on food and needed help. His classmates were trained in first aid and executed the Heimlich technique, saving his life. When his friend helped, Tony compared the experience to being underwater and being unable to breathe; finally, he was able to come up for air and resume his normal breathing pattern.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
This sixth-grader in Windsor, Ont., saved his friend’s life thanks to first-aid training he got during class | CBC News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It was a story that could have ended much worse: Grade 6 student Tony Elsoury of Windsor, Ont., was chewing as he got up to head to the bathroom and moments later, his friend was giving him the life-saving Heimlich manoeuvre.

# data[].attributes.body
Riihimaki has abandoned the prior digital strategy and gone back to utilizing pen and paper in its middle schools due to concerns about the effects of screens on youngsters. Teachers such as Maija Kaunonen have seen that students speed through assignments in order to get to their online activities since digital devices are a distraction.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Books In, Screens Out: Some Finnish Pupils Go Back to Paper After Tech Push

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

# data[].attributes.body
The education expert is now concerned about whether digital technologies could be detrimental to schools, even if they have been shown to have revolutionary potential in education, particularly in improving student involvement and safety during the pandemic. As they think back on their own teaching experiences, they see that the true value of technology lies not in the tools per se, but rather in the authentic learning experiences and the development of strong student relationships.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
https://news.stanford.edu/report/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/11/antero-garcia-edited.mp3
Listen to the essay, as read by Antero Garcia, associate professor in the Graduate School of Education.
As a professor of education and a former public school teacher, I've seen digital tools change lives in schools.

I've documented the ways mobile technology like phones can transform student engagement in my own classroom.

I've explored how digital tools might network powerful civic learning and dialogue for classrooms across the country - elements of education that are crucial for sustaining our democracy today.

And, like everyone, I've witnessed digital technologies make schooling safer in the midst of a global pandemic. Zoom and Google Classroom, for instance, allowed many students to attend classrooms virtually during a period when it was not feasible to meet in person.

So I want to tell you that I think technologies are changing education for the better and that we need to invest more in them - but I just can't.

Given the substantial amount of scholarly time I've invested in documenting the life-changing possibilities of digital technologies, it gives me no pleasure to suggest that these tools might be slowly poisoning us. Despite their purported and transformational value, I've been wondering if our investment in educational technology might in fact be making our schools worse.

Let me explain.

When I was a classroom teacher, I loved relying on the latest tools to create impressive and immersive experiences for my students. We would utilize technology to create class films, produce social media profiles for the Janie Crawfords, the Holden Caulfields, and other literary characters we studied, and find playful ways to digitally share our understanding of the ideas we studied in our classrooms.

As a teacher, technology was a way to build on students' interests in pop culture and the world around them. This was exciting to me.

But I've continued to understand that the aspects of technology I loved weren't actually about technology at all - they were about creating authentic learning experiences with young people. At the heart of these digital explorations were my relationships with students and the trust we built together.

"Part of why I've grown so skeptical about this current digital revolution is because of how these tools reshape students' bodies and their relation to the world around them."

I do see promise in the suite of digital tools that are available in classrooms today. But my research focus on platforms - digital spaces like Amazon, Netflix, and Google that reshape how users interact in online environments - suggests that when we focus on the trees of individual tools, we ignore the larger forest of social and cognitive challenges.

Most people encounter platforms every day in their online social lives. From the few online retail stores where we buy groceries to the small handful of sites that stream our favorite shows and media content, platforms have narrowed how we use the internet today to a small collection of Silicon Valley behemoths. Our social media activities, too, are limited to one or two sites where we check on the updates, photos, and looped videos of friends and loved ones.

These platforms restrict our online and offline lives to a relatively small number of companies and spaces - we communicate with a finite set of tools and consume a set of media that is often algorithmically suggested. This centralization of internet - a trend decades in the making - makes me very uneasy.

From willfully hiding the negative effects of social media use for vulnerable populations to creating tools that reinforce racial bias, today's platforms are causing harm and sowing disinformation for young people and adults alike. The deluge of difficult ethical and pedagogical questions around these tools are not being broached in any meaningful way in schools - even adults aren't sure how to manage their online lives.

You might ask, "What does this have to do with education?" Platforms are also a large part of how modern schools operate. From classroom management software to attendance tracking to the online tools that allowed students to meet safely during the pandemic, platforms guide nearly every student interaction in schools today. But districts are utilizing these tools without considering the wider spectrum of changes that they have incurred alongside them.

For example, it might seem helpful for a school to use a management tool like Classroom Dojo (a digital platform that can offer parents ways to interact with and receive updates from their family's teacher) or software that tracks student reading and development like Accelerated Reader for day-to-day needs. However, these tools limit what assessment looks like and penalize students based on flawed interpretations of learning.

Another problem with platforms is that they, by necessity, amass large swaths of data. Myriad forms of educational technology exist - from virtual reality headsets to e-readers to the small sensors on student ID cards that can track when students enter schools. And all of this student data is being funneled out of schools and into the virtual black boxes of company databases.

Part of why I've grown so skeptical about this current digital revolution is because of how these tools reshape students' bodies and their relation to the world around them. Young people are not viewed as complete human beings but as boxes checked for attendance, for meeting academic progress metrics, or for confirming their location within a school building. Nearly every action that students perform in schools - whether it's logging onto devices, accessing buildings, or sharing content through their private online lives - is noticed and recorded. Children in schools have become disembodied from their minds and their hearts. Thus, one of the greatest and implicit lessons that kids learn in schools today is that they must sacrifice their privacy in order to participate in conventional, civic society.

The pandemic has only made the situation worse. At its beginnings, some schools relied on software to track students' eye movements, ostensibly ensuring that kids were paying attention to the tasks at hand. Similarly, many schools required students to keep their cameras on during class time for similar purposes. These might be seen as in the best interests of students and their academic growth, but such practices are part of a larger (and usually more invisible) process of normalizing surveillance in the lives of youth today.

I am not suggesting that we completely reject all of the tools at our disposal - but I am urging for more caution. Even the seemingly benign resources we might use in our classrooms today come with tradeoffs. Every Wi-Fi-connected, "smart" device utilized in schools is an investment in time, money, and expertise in technology over teachers and the teaching profession.

Our focus on fixing or saving schools via digital tools assumes that the benefits and convenience that these invisible platforms offer are worth it.

But my ongoing exploration of how platforms reduce students to quantifiable data suggests that we are removing the innovation and imagination of students and teachers in the process.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Technology might be making education worse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Listen to the essay, as read by Antero Garcia, associate professor in the Graduate School of Education.