Today marks two weeks since we shared this petition, and we have already reached 377 signatures. Thank you! Our next goal is 500 signatures, and the best way to help is simply to keep sharing the petition with SLCUSD families, neighbors, teachers, and community groups.

Quick clarification: We are not asking for donations. Change.org may automatically invite people to contribute money to promote petitions on its platform, but the organizers do not request, receive, or manage those funds. 

Our petition was featured in The Tribune on June 30th, and we have contacted other local media outlets in hopes that they will speak directly with families about growing concerns over screen time in our local schools.

The week we launched the petition, we also learned that a local chapter of Schools Beyond Screens (SBS) had just formed in San Luis Obispo. We connected with local organizer Chad Worth and are now discussing ways to collaborate. Schools Beyond Screens helped lead the successful effort to change classroom technology policy in Los Angeles Unified. Its national organization offers extensive research, parent resources, and advocacy tools.

Learn about the San Luis Coastal chapter and sign up for updates here: https://schoolsbeyondscreens.com/c/sanluiscoastal

The primary goal of our petition is to strengthen SLO Coastal Unified technology policies by bringing classroom screen time before the SLCUSD Board of Trustees, to place the issue on a public agenda allowing families, teachers, staff, and health professionals a meaningful opportunity to comment. The Technology Task Force alone is not enough. The Board needs to hear directly from families about what is happening in our schools.

As we continue learning from SBS and speaking with parents, school volunteers and staff, several more specific policy ideas deserve public discussion:

• Eliminate all device use for TK - 2.
• Eliminate “one to one” device use for 3rd - 8th grades. 
• Limited device use with computer carts or labs. (Before COVID, schools used to use computer labs during defined and structured sessions.) 
• Require all apps used for instruction or on school issued devices to be ad-free.
• Disable student access to any generative AI tools, apps, websites, and software on all school-issued devices until this technology has been proven safe, legal, and effective, and until age-appropriate guidelines are established.
• Prohibit all student device use during passing periods, lunch, and recess.

Thank you again for signing. Please continue sharing so we can reach 500 signatures and bring this conversation before the School Board.