Utah’s New School Screen Time Law: What Changes for Your Kids

Worried about how much screen time your kids get at school? In some Utah classrooms, iPads were coming out on the first day of kindergarten, and kids on school devices kept sneaking off to Roblox, Minecraft, and YouTube.

Representative Ariel Defay, a mom of three and Vice Chair of the Utah House Education Committee, sponsored HB 273, the Balance Act, after years of parents asking her for help, and her earlier work took on AI-generated explicit images of kids.

She breaks down what will actually change at your child’s school, why every district’s version will look a little different, and how to make your voice heard before your district adopts its policy. You’ll also hear her personal rules for a first phone (no phone before 13, and no social media or internet access until 16), why she believes screens are making it harder for kids to read and focus, and the simple five-minute habit she recommends to bring balance back home. Titania Jordan, Bark’s Chief Parent Officer and bestselling author of two books on digital parenting, also shares why risky online activity spikes between 3 and 5 p.m., after kids leave school devices behind.

Key insight: Under Utah’s new model policy, kids in K-3 should see little to no technology in class, elementary devices should stay at school, junior high take-home devices become opt-in, and AI literacy becomes part of the core curriculum.

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Links from this episode:

• Learn more about Ariel Defay: https://info.bark.us/ariel-defay
• Rep. Ariel Defay's UT legislative efforts: https://info.bark.us/rep-ariel-defay
• HB0273: https://info.bark.us/defay-hb273
• In the news: https://info.bark.us/defay-news
• Connect with Ariel on LinkedIn: https://info.bark.us/ariel-defay-li