SCHOOL OF NETFLIX
Roxanne Dunlop, with her son Lochlan, 7, was upset to learn students at William Reid Elementary are left to watch Netflix cartoons in their classrooms at lunchtime. The mother says the supervision is spotty and that students should be permitted to sociali
Parents at a public school in the city’s southwest are angry their children are being forced to watch cartoons on Netflix during lunch, saying the supervision is spotty, kids are placed in front of a screen in the classroom and unable to visit with friends.
“I was very surprised when my son told me this was happening, and it appears that lunch supervisors are only roaming in and out of the classrooms once in awhile, leaving the kids alone,” said Roxanne Dunlop, whose son attends Grade 2 at William Reid Elementary in Elbow Park.
“We, as parents, are already trying to reduce our children’s screen time. So to have this happening, while we are paying $28 a month for lunchroom supervision, it just isn’t right.”
Dunlop raised her concerns in several emails to administrators and trustees at the Calgary Board of Education over a week ago, but did not hear back until Wednesday.
A CBE administrator told Dunlop in an email the school’s principal is responsible for the supervision of lunchroom staff and may not have been aware students were watching Netflix.
He explained that “the use of personal Netflix accounts as a source of video material” would be looked into, adding that “there is a need to utilize public domain and or approved copyright protected media” instead.
Dunlop was also told the school principal would raise the matter at the next school council meeting to get feedback from other parents, but there was no guarantee that television watching over the lunch hour would stop.
CBE spokeswoman Megan Geyer confirmed that the school’s principal is reviewing the matter.
“It is my understanding that the area office has been communicating with this parent and is coordinating a meeting to discuss her concerns. The principal will address the concern about screen time with the school council to get other parent perspectives, and if necessary, make further adjustments to the lunch period.”
A second mother who has two children in Grade 2 and Grade 4 at William Reid, said she too is concerned both her children are having to watch Netflix cartoons in their classrooms during lunch.
“I would much rather they focus on their eating. When kids are watching TV, they’re not eating, because they’re so focused on the TV,” said the mom, who asked not to be identified. “At home, we are really trying to limit the amount of time our kids are watching TV. It changes their personality, they get more impatient and cranky.”
She added her son told her recently that the Netflix cartoons often end before the lunch period is over, allowing other students to access the remote control and put on another show of their own choosing, since supervisors are often not in the classroom.
“This really concerns me. Who knows what other shows the kids could be putting on.”
Dunlop added she would rather the students all eat together in the gymnasium, with several supervisors, as they were doing last year, explaining that it allowed students to get out of their desks, out of the same classroom they had been in since the morning, and gave them a chance to socialize with friends.
According to the CBE’s official noon services policy, students should be provided with supervision during lunch in a “safe and caring” environment. It adds that the CBE must also provide “flex- ible options” for students, based on the school’s configuration, during the noon period.
But both moms are questioning the safety of their children if they are not being supervised the entire time they are eating lunch. Dunlop explained behavioural problems could arise, even choking incidents.
The CBE is in the process of arranging a meeting with Dunlop and CBE staff.
Weare trying to reduce our children’s screen time. So to have this happening ... it just isn’t right.