Parents concerned about too much technology in Davis County classrooms gathered at Farmington's Headquarters Library on Thursday, Sept. 10 to talk about it.

A community-organized forum titled "Chromebooks in schools" ran from 6 to 8 p.m. in the auditorium at Headquarters Library, 133 S. Main St. The library's event listing describes the discussion as parents and community members talking about too much tech in public schools. The listing notes the event is not library-sponsored. No organizer name or group affiliation appears on the listing.

The forum comes as Davis School District, which serves more than 74,000 students, has already taken two related steps this year.

On May 5, the Davis School District Board of Education voted 4-3 to approve an audit of student technology usage. Board President Brigit Gerrard, Vice President Emily Price, Michelle Barber and Alisa Mercer voted in favor. Julie Powell, Kristen Hogan and Joani Stevens voted against.

On June 2, the board voted 5-1 to approve Policy 5S-105, its updated Student Electronic Device Policy. Kristen Hogan cast the lone opposing vote. Julie Powell was absent.

That policy aligns with Utah Senate Bill 69, a "bell-to-bell" ban on personal smart devices during the school day that took effect July 1. The law, the Park Record reported, was sponsored by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore and Rep. Doug Welton. It prohibits students from using cellphones, smartwatches and similar devices from first bell to last. Exceptions cover emergencies, the SafeUT Crisis Line, medical necessity, and students with 504 or Individualized Education Program (IEP) plans.

But Senate Bill 69 targets personal devices. The Sept. 10 forum title points to Chromebooks, the district-issued laptops students use for classwork.

That distinction matters.

Farmington Junior High published its device policy on July 29, noting students cannot use personal electronics during class but still use district-issued devices for instruction. The school said its policy aligns with both district Policy 5S-105 and Senate Bill 69.

The Farmington forum echoes a national conversation. The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory in May 2026 warning against excessive screen time for children in schools. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called for blocking most students from using computers in class until third grade, NBC News reported. Los Angeles Unified School District passed a resolution to eliminate devices until second grade and set daily screen limits for older students, according to the Associated Press.

When the Utah Legislature debated Senate Bill 69 in January, Liddy Johnson, a senior at Northridge High School in Layton, testified in support. "I wasn't distracted by notifications, social media or the internet — and my attention was on my teachers and my schoolwork," Johnson told the Senate Education Committee on Jan. 21, the Deseret News reported.

The results of the Davis School District student tech usage audit approved May 5 have not been made public.