Raise your voice! How to get manipulative edtech out of your child’s school

Action Network member, Kailan Carr, was able to get the gamified math app, Prodigy, out of her children's school. As an observant parent and former teacher, she saw that the app had very little math and lots of manipulative, non-educational game play– and knew there were better ways to get kids excited about math. In this edition of Action Network Live!, get the full story and learn how you can raise your concerns and make change in your school, too! Guests Rachel Franz, Fairplay’s Education Manager, and Kailan Carr highlight what to look out for in popular education technology, how to approach teachers and other parents without judgment, and how to ask the right questions to ultimately inspire responsible tech use in your child’s school!

About the guests: Kailan's mission is to prioritize playtime for kids living in this digital world! She is a mom of two and a former teacher with a masters in Literacy. She founded Quiet Book Queen & Crafts in Between to help parents and grandparents provide screen-free activities through her quiet book templates, page kits, and printable activities. She's also an author of 5 books and a speaker advocating for more play! Find out more at www.kailancarr.com.

Rachel Franz (she/her), who serves as Fairplay’s Education Manager, led Fairplay’s investigation into Prodigy’s math game, highlighting grotesque manipulative practices used to pressure kids into buying an expensive membership. Her report led to a complaint to the FTC in 2021 that was featured by NBC News and has inspired many schools across the globe to ban Prodigy from their schools.

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