Seattle Public Schools blocks access to YouTube, Gemini as parents rally for AI safeguards

SEATTLE - Seattle Public Schools is starting to crack down on some forms of technology that they say might be getting in the way of student learning.

Meanwhile, parents who are keeping an eye on the digital landscape rallied tonight to draw attention to the need for more guidelines for the use of AI in the classroom.

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) officials announced during Wednesday's meeting that the district was banning Gemini AI and Minecraft, along with blocking YouTube for younger students.

They're also changing screen times for some kids. Parents and guardians who belong to an AI and tech watchdog group called Seattle Families for Intentional Tech (SFIT) say it's a start, but they still have concerns.

What they're saying:

"I send my kid to school to learn and for his brain to develop," said Ashley Worobec, an SPS parent. "I’m also really concerned about the dangers of it from young kids feeling like they can converse with AI and then being led down dangerous paths."

"Without some real guardrails on that, we can have our kids getting misinformation or false information and sometimes even dangerous information," said Danica Novle, another SPS parent.

Erica Shutes-David with SFIT says parents and guardians want kids to have the best education possible and the use of AI has prompted concerns.

"We have real deep concerns that it strips the kids of the opportunity to create and use their own minds," said Shutes-David.

The other side:

"I’ll be the first one to admit, when I got here, what I saw was a district that was overwhelmed by technology and said, ‘Go to it’, and now we are being thoughtful and critical," said Ben Shuldiner, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent.

SPS says it's been assessing and is changing some of the guidance around technology in schools.

"YouTube is now blocked on Monday, so get your last searches in while you can kids," said Dr. Mike Starosky, Assistant Superintendent of Academics.

Timeline:

Starting Monday, the district says the following list will be blocked:

K – 12  Students:

• Minecraft blocked
• Gemini AI blocked
• Generative AI tools and Google Search AI Summaries blocked

"Minecraft was a very big concern," said Dr. Starosky.

"Getting rid of YouTube K- 5 I’m thrilled with, and certainly no Minecraft K- 12 unless it’s actually part of a classroom with a teacher, then we feel really comfortable with this," said Superintendent Shuldiner.

Dig deeper:

Also announced, grades 3–5 will no longer be a 1:1 district, meaning that each student will no longer get their own personal classroom laptop, for instance, to use individually at their desk. Instead, SPS officials say kids will more likely share classroom computers and screen times will also be tightened down.

Here is a list of the new guidance by grade: 

Grades K – 2: 

• No 1:1 device use 
• 0-30 minutes of daily screen time 
• YouTube blocked 

Grades 3 – 5: 

• No 1:1 device use 
• 0-60 minutes of daily screen time 
• YouTube blocked 

What's next:

SPS says the focus for tech will also be on education, not rewards.

"No device should be used for incentives or rewards," said Starosky.  

SPS says students and educators are also being trained to better understand AI and the guidance around it. Parents are still pushing the school board and SPS to continue to ask hard questions about any additional impacts of tech and AI on students and learning.

"They are having their data collected in ways that allow them easier to be manipulated with the way content is fed to them, so their profiles might be able to extend from the classroom into commercial purposes as well," said Novle.

The superintendent says if there are games other than Minecraft that parents or guardians would like to see blocked, he welcomes a list to look over.

He says they are also currently looking at AI and technology use in middle schools as well.

Big picture view:

SFIT shared a list of concerns that they are hoping the school board addresses in the future:

Families made the following specific asks of the board. To address the issue of safe, effective educational technology, SPS must:

• 1. PAUSE STUDENT-FACING GENERATIVE AISPS should limit generative AI to teacher instructional materials until products have been vetted for safety, legality, and educational efficacy for minors. Parents should be told if AI is used to assess student work.
• 2. CREATE AN ED-TECH ADVISORY COMMITTEESPS needs a subcommittee within ITAC composed of caregivers and teachers to evaluate current and future ed tech. That committee should rely on peer-reviewed research rather than industry-sponsored studies as they evaluate the safety, benefits, and harms of ed-tech apps and devices.
• 3. PROVIDE ONGOING ED TECH TRANSPARENCYSPS should publish a list of every digital app, platform, and device in classrooms by grade level. That report should include the relevant privacy policies and should be updated annually. Families should be notified of any changes before students use a new tool.
• 4. GET CONSENT FOR PRODUCTS THAT COLLECT DATA ON STUDENTSFollowing the FTC’s August 2025 guidance on COPPA, SPS should get informed caregiver consent every year before any product collects personal student data. No student data should be collected, shared, or sold without that consent.
• 5. ALLOW PAPER-BASED ALTERNATIVES & DEVICE OPT OUTSSPS should formally permit students and families to opt out of devices and computer-based activities when a caregiver or a medical or mental health professional requests it. In these contexts, students should be provided alternative forms of learning. Teachers and schools should also be able to opt out of district ed tech mandates for specific products, with clear district support when families request paper alternatives.
• 6. SET SCREEN-TIME LIMITS BY GRADESPS should continue setting screen-time limits enforced during the school day for each grade. Schools should also follow manufacturer guidelines for safe device use, including protective measures related to ergonomics and eye protection.

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