I've had the pleasure of calling Scottsdale home for nearly 30 years. I grew up in SUSD and was among the first students to graduate from Desert Mountain High School. My wife and I wanted our children to follow this same path, so we purchased a home within walking distance of Anasazi Elementary, Mountainside Middle School and Desert Mountain. Unfortunately, like many others, we had to pull our children from SUSD.
During the early years at Anasazi, we were pleased with our children's education. The teachers were engaged, and our kids were thriving academically and socially. However, things changed with COVID and the arrival of our new superintendent.
To keep students connected during the shutdowns, SUSD distributed Chromebooks to every student. The problem began when, even after schools reopened, the reliance on technology grew. This has led to a substantial increase in screen time for all K-12 students and decreased skills and academic scores.
The majority of schoolwork in SUSD was now done on screens, leading to new issues with students continually watching YouTube videos, playing online games and using their phones during school hours. Screen time skyrocketed, sometimes reaching eight hours a day. We were disappointed that little effort was made to acknowledge or manage the distractions these devices created.
As concerned parents, we contacted the principal, only to be told this was a district-wide directive. Unfortunately, Superintendent Menzel was unresponsive to our concerns, and it became clear that SUSD had sadly lost its way.
I'm supporting Gretchen Jacobs, Jeanne Beasley and Drew Hassler for the SUSD Board because they are parents and professionals who recognize our district's challenges and understand that real accountability must start at the top. Their commitment to improving leadership and refocusing on academics and learning is exactly what our schools need so more families stay in the district.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
