What This Story Is About
Knox County Schools is proposing a ban on social media and email for elementary students and new restrictions on artificial intelligence use across all grade levels.
Why It Matters
Tennessee’s “Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act” is now state law, and Knox County Schools must align its policies with the new requirements — affecting how students across all grades access technology at school.
What Happens Next
The Knox County School Board meets Monday at 5 p.m. to discuss the proposed technology policies.
For Context
The state law bans students from using social media over school Wi-Fi except for educational purposes, prohibits elementary-aged students from using social media at school and requires high schoolers to complete internet safety training.
Catch Up
Knox County Schools is weighing whether to ban social media and email for younger students and limit device use in elementary classrooms, following the passage of a new Tennessee internet safety law.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Knox County Schools is looking to ban social media and email for elementary students and crack down on AI impersonation across all grades. The school board is scheduled to meet Monday at 5 p.m. to discuss the proposed policies.
The proposal follows the passage of the “Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act,” which is now state law. The law bans students from using social media over school Wi-Fi unless for educational reasons, bans elementary-aged children from using social media at school and requires high schoolers to complete internet safety training courses.
Lauren Morrill-Raguse, a mother of a fourth grader and a sixth grader, said she supports the restrictions.
“I don’t think elementary school kids need to be on social media at all,” Morrill-Raguse said.
She also said she hopes to see fewer devices in classrooms overall — something Knox County Schools is also considering limiting for elementary students.
“I think there’s just so much to be learned in school that doesn’t involve a computer that any way they can get them back to pencils and papers and books is great in my view,” Morrill-Raguse said.
Stephanie Welsh, a mother of two adult sons who grew up as social media was emerging, said she focused on talking to her children about responsible posting.
“I just really tried to talk to them about, you know, be careful what you post. It’s not really like going to go away like on Snapchat, it’s out there,” Welsh said. “So just kind of be mindful and don’t ever post that it’s going to hurt anybody’s feelings.”
Welsh said she supports the district’s push to restrict artificial intelligence, particularly when it comes to protecting children from fake images.
“You’re already seeing it with celebrities with their faces and images being put where it doesn’t belong. And that could be really harmful for children,” Welsh said.
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