Veteran GOP Analyst Is Suspended : Politics: Anne McKinney was placed on leave after contending that computer use can damage the brains of children. Critics say new Assembly Speaker Doris Allen acted out of personal reasons.

In the latest twist in a running battle between new Assembly Speaker Doris Allen and her GOP opponents, Allen has suspended a veteran Republican staffer who created a stir in the Capitol by suggesting that computers can damage the brains of young children.

The staffer, Assembly Republican education analyst Anne McKinney, could not be reached for comment. But Assemblyman Steve Baldwin (R-El Cajon), vice chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, said McKinney was placed on administrative leave Friday over his objections.

“I’m not happy with that at all,” Baldwin said. “It tells me that Doris is acting for personal reasons. She and Anne have had differences over policy in the past.”

As Speaker, Allen has the power to fire legislative staffers, and Baldwin said he expects that McKinney will be fired.

He cited Allen’s action as an example of what he and other Republican critics claim is the new Speaker’s efforts to undermine the GOP.

Allen is a Republican, but, unlike most GOP lawmakers, she has been the beneficiary of large donations from public school unions.

Her aide on personnel matters, Morgan Staines, declined to discuss McKinney’s suspension, saying that personnel matters should be kept confidential.

McKinney, 50, who holds a master’s degree in early childhood education from Sacramento State University, is a longtime aide to GOP lawmakers, providing analysis on proposed education legislation. She is known as a critic of public schools and a supporter of tax-funded vouchers for private schools.

Democrats and public school lobbyists view her as an extremist whose analysis of legislation often is long on opinion and short on fact. As an example, Democrats cite the analysis she wrote this month of a bill by Los Angeles Democratic Assemblywoman Marguerite Archie-Hudson.

Archie-Hudson proposed raising $500 million through bond sales to finance the installation of computer networks in California’s public schools.

But the proposal was derailed by Republicans on the Education Committee after McKinney contended that “scientific” evidence shows that the overuse of computers can damage the brains of young schoolchildren.

“She has been under fire for a while because of the kinds of analysis she has been making,” Archie-Hudson said. “This one may have been the last straw. . . . Her analysis of education issues leaves a lot to be desired.”

McKinney’s bill analysis said in part:

“Serious concerns are being raised in the technology community regarding overuse of computers by young children. Scientific reports reveal that, as with TV, there is actual physiological damage and impairment to the areas of young children’s brains which involve metaphorical thinking and other avenues to higher thinking skills. There are also the more publicized concerns that are content-based.

“Before any further programs to advance the information highway in the school system are implemented, there should be public statewide hearings on the physical damage potential inherent in the use of this equipment as well as the psychological misuse embedded within much of the emerging software.”

Archie-Hudson branded McKinney’s contention as “wild.” “Computers are important tools to help teachers to teach and help children to learn,” Archie-Hudson said. “The experts we talk to say this is nonsense.”

“There was no scientific backup to the analysis and it was the kind of inflammatory analysis that we have seen far too often from the Republican consultant on this committee,” said Assemblywoman Dede Alpert (D-Coronado), chairwoman of the Education Committee and a supporter of Archie-Hudson’s bill. “It was the kind of thing that scares people.”

Although McKinney could not be reached Friday, she defended her work in an earlier interview, saying: “It is not nonsense. Somebody has to pay attention to what the overuse and misuse of computers is doing to children.”

Baldwin, who voted against the computer bill, said: “If [McKinney’s] analysis is valid, we have a major problem on our hands. We are going to have to re-evaluate the use of computers in the classroom. I want to see more evidence. I want to sit down and talk to some of the experts. We should hold hearings on it.”

Asked to comment, USC professor of educational psychology and technology Frederick Knirk said: “I have never heard of anything like that. I can’t envision students being physically or mentally harmed by the use of computers for the limited number of hours that the students would be using them.”

Archie-Hudson said the initial documents submitted by McKinney to support her contention “do not appear to be any sort of authoritative scientific work in the area of educational technology.”

The documents included photocopies of a book titled “Evolution’s End” by Joseph Chilton Pearce that is critical of children watching too much television, and a paper titled “Computers in Education: A Critical Look,” which was prepared for a university symposium.

“Under [McKinney’s] logic, we’d have to stop using computers because they are a danger to the well-being of children,” Archie-Hudson said. “We have never, ever, ever heard any such allegation.”

The Education Committee voted 7-5 in favor of the measure (AB 797) on June 14, but nine votes were required for approval by the 16-member panel. The seven yes votes were from Democrats and the five against were from Republicans. Archie-Hudson can bring the bill to the committee again.

Among the 50 states, California ranks near the bottom in the ratio of computers to students and most of the state’s schools are not wired to accommodate technology such as high-speed Internet linkups and video teleconferencing capabilities, Archie Hudson said.

If approved by the Legislature and signed into law by the governor, the $500-million bond issue would appear on the primary election ballot in March. If voters approve it, it would provide public school districts with $400 million and colleges and universities with $100 million.

The legislation is supported by the California Teachers Assn., the Assn. of California School Administrators, the California State University and the California Community Colleges.

Times staff writers Jennifer Warren and Dan Morain contributed to this story.