Parents across the country are taking steps to stop their children from using school-issued Chromebooks and iPads, citing concerns about distractions and access to inappropriate content that they fear hampers their kids' education. They've started to organize through email and in group chats with hundreds of members, swapping tips and creating online resources.

In interviews with a dozen parents, each said they were the first in their district to attempt to opt out — often confounding school officials who weren't sure whether it was legally allowed — but that they felt it was crucial to prove a point.