Is Technology In School Hurting Learning? Mo News Community Weighs In
Plus: DOJ Comey Case In Trouble: Gov Admits Final Indictment Wasn’t Seen By Full Grand Jury
NYC showed up for the inaugural Mo News Premium live event last night at our Industrious workspace in Manhattan! 🗽
Mosheh and Jill answered questions from the crowd and recorded a premium-only AMA podcast, while everyone enjoyed drinks, bites, and great conversation with fellow MoFo’s (that’s Mo News Followers, of course).
What’s next: We heard incredible feedback and can’t wait to do it again — and plan to take it on the road. Join Mo News Premium to be the first to hear about the next meetup!
Mo News Team
🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING
Are School-Issued Devices To Blame For Plummeting Standardized Test Scores?
Is it time to limit all screens in school, not just smartphones? Dr. Jean Twenge’s recent New York Times opinion essay, “The Screen That Ate Your Child’s Education,” is reigniting a heated conversation about whether putting a laptop or Chromebook in every student’s hands has actually helped — or quietly harmed — American education.
She argues that the nationwide push to integrate digital devices into learning has failed to deliver on its promises. Instead, she says schools have unintentionally created a learning environment full of distraction, weaker comprehension, and slipping test scores.
BY THE NUMBERS
In the U.S., standardized test scores fell to their lowest levels in 20 years in 2023/24. Globally, similar trends are being seen. While COVID-19 learning disruptions contributed, the decline actually began around 2012, coinciding with the rise of smartphones and heavy device use inside schools. And while many schools have already banned smartphones, they still rely heavily on Chromebooks and other laptops.
The author points to several problems related to these devices:
Constant digital distraction — with students drifting to YouTube, games, messaging apps, and streaming during class. And in some cases, even explicit content.
A 2023 UNESCO report found that excessive device use harms learning, and in one study, students at Michigan State spent nearly 40% of class time on non-class activities like social media and videos.
A Common Sense Media survey found that about one-fourth of American teenagers admitted to seeing pornographic content during the school day — and nearly half of them viewed it on a school-issued device.
When Mo News Producer Lauren taught 4th Grade in Washington, D.C. in 2021, she caught a student Googling “girls butts” in class — and images appeared despite school safeguards. The incident underscores how young students often lack the tech literacy to use these devices safely, while also adding yet another thing teachers must monitor.
A shift away from paper-based reading and writing, which research shows can improve retention, focus, and depth of thought.
Studies show that students who took handwritten notes are more than 50% likely to earn A’s, while those who typed notes were 75% more likely to fail compared with those who took notes by hand.
Equity issues, where students with weaker self-regulation are disproportionately harmed by open-access devices.
Though, it should be noted that during COVID lockdowns, it was students without access to devices that missed classes.
THE FIX: Twenge urges schools to drastically restrict or lock down student devices — or even eliminate them altogether — and give parents the option to opt out of school-issued laptops and tablets. This comes as school cellphone bans have become more mainstream.
MO NEWS COMMUNITY REACTS
Seldom are there issues where nearly everyone in the Mo News community agrees, but in this case, the universal sentiment is that the current model is flawed. (See the messages above.) Even those who are “pro-tech” in the classroom emphasize a need for stronger guardrails and less screen time.
Teachers in our community also point their fingers at statewide tests, many of which are conducted online. Teachers are then expected to prepare their students for digital exams or essay-writing.
Parents say they want better controls, or limits on bringing the devices home at night.
However, one parent notes that for students with certain disabilities, the technology can be a positive game-changer.
💻 BUT, WAIT: Dr. Twenge doesn’t have causal data proving that devices directly harm student learning; instead, she pieces together evidence from multiple studies to support her argument.
🚨 BEFORE WE BAN EVERY DEVICE: Some experts say this is a reminder to pause — don’t toss every device out the window just yet — and recognize that technology has also brought real benefits, from enabling instruction during COVID to making coding and other lessons more engaging, and improving communication and collaboration among students, teachers, and parents. The challenge ahead is to think about the best ways to use the technology, because it’s not going anywhere.
🚨 ONE THING WE’RE WATCHING
Comey Case In Jeopardy After Judge Questions DOJ Handling Of Indictment
The federal case against former FBI Director James Comey appeared to be in jeopardy Wednesday after a federal judge sharply questioned the validity of the grand jury indictment, which accuses Comey of lying to Congress over media leaks and obstructing its investigation into the Russia probe.
Trump’s hand-picked US Attorney, Lindsey Halligan, shocked the court Wednesday when she admitted that she neglected to present the final version of the indictment to a full grand jury. As it turns out, only two grand jurors reviewed it.
What happens to the criminal case next is not immediately clear. Despite appearing shocked by the revelation as the prosecutors confirmed the error, U.S. District Judge Michael Nachmanoff has not said whether he viewed the oversight as a procedural or fatal error.
HOW WE GOT HERE
Eight months into Trump’s second term, Comey became the first of the president’s political enemies to be indicted.
The charges stem from Comey’s Sept. 30, 2020 Senate testimony, when he told Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) he stood by earlier claims that he never authorized FBI leaks about investigations into Trump or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
A 2018 DOJ inspector general report said Comey’s deputy, Andrew McCabe, claimed his boss (Comey) authorized him to leak to the media. But the same report found McCabe also gave false or misleading statements.
Prior to the latest revelation, Comey’s legal team was already arguing the case should be dismissed for prosecutorial misconduct and as a vindictive prosecution, noting that President Trump called on the DOJ to act “NOW!!!” regarding prosecuting Comey and other political foes. Check out Trump’s social media post (above) from just a few days before Comey was indicted.
Comey, a former U.S. attorney in Manhattan, is represented by Patrick Fitzgerald, an experienced former U.S. attorney in Chicago.
On the other side sits Halligan, installed by the White House after the previous U.S. attorney declined to pursue charges. She has no prosecutorial experience and previously worked as an insurance attorney in Florida and as Trump’s personal lawyer.
AND MORE
Nachmanoff also asked DOJ attorney Tyler Lemons about a memo which recommended AGAINST bringing charges, asking, “Was there a declination memo?” Prosecutors refused to say whether career attorneys in the office had opposed bringing the case.
Bottom line: If the judge tosses the case for misconduct, it cannot be refiled due to the statute of limitations passing.
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
Arrests now top 250 in immigration crackdown across North Carolina (AP)
Federal judge rules law requiring display of Ten Commandments in Texas classrooms unconstitutional (FOX NEWS)
Cargo ship initially lost power due to loose wire before crashing into Key Bridge (ABC)
Poll shows Democrats have biggest advantage for control of Congress in 8 years (NPR)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
U.S. secretly drafting new plan to end Ukraine war (AXIOS)
Student escapes as authorities search for 24 other girls abducted in Nigeria (NPR)
Jamal Khashoggi’s widow describes “7 years of hell” after Saudi journalist’s killing, demands accountability from MBS (CBS)
China warns there is ‘no market’ for Japanese seafood exports as spat over Taiwan comments escalates (CNN)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
White House has apologized over Georgia raid, says Hyundai boss (BBC)
Target cuts profit outlook as shoppers look for deals, make fewer store trips (CNBC)
First kiss dates back 21 million years, say scientists (BBC)
Larry Summers resigns from OpenAI board after Epstein emails made public (CNN)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Curaçao makes soccer history as smallest nation by population to qualify for a World Cup (AP)
The Kessler Twins sisters Alice and Ellen die together aged 89 (GUARDIAN)
‘Wicked: For Good’ aims for biggest opening of 2025 with $150 million-plus debut (VARIETY)
Clip of Zac Efron in “DWTS” audience goes viral after he appeared to ask an awkward question in front of the cameras (BUZZFEED)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… A 20th-century Gustav Klimt painting sold for a historic $236.4 million Tuesday night at Sotheby’s in New York, a record for a modern work of art and the second-priciest work of art ever auctioned. The name of the buyer is unknown. Six parties bid for the work for over 20 minutes.
The sale of “Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer,” painted in 1914-1916, blew past the original sale estimate of more than $150 million. The painting is of the daughter of the Austrian artist’s prominent patrons and is from the estate of the cosmetics heir Leonard A. Lauder.
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi” remains the most expensive artwork sold at auction ever— $450.3 million, with fees, in 2017.
THE MO YOU KNOW: The Klimt portrait narrowly survived World War II when the Nazis looted works owned by the Lederer family, and parts of their collection were set on fire at the end of the war. Beyond being the subject of the painting, Elisabeth Lederer’s close relationship with Klimt ended up saving her life. During the war, she claimed to be the non-Jewish artist’s illegitimate daughter (her mother signed an affidavit to support the claim) leading the Nazis to let her live.