Our team has personally spoken to many students within our Tacoma public school's community who express discomfort and lack of enthusiasm about attending school. They believe that having an emotional support animal (ESA) present would significantly improve their experience. ESAs are known to provide comfort, reduce stress and anxiety, and even improve physical health conditions such as blood pressure. According to the American Psychological Association, students with access to ESAs show improved academic performance and lower levels of stress compared to their peers without such support (APA). Despite these benefits, current regulations prohibit ESAs inside our schools.

This petition calls for a change in these regulations. We ask the Tacoma School District to consider adding emotional support animals to schools in our district for the benefit of our student's mental health and there overall well-being. It's time we prioritize student mental health alongside academic achievement.

Join us in urging our local authorities to make this critical change for our children's future; sign this petition today!