Hello,

It's been almost a year and half since we initiated this petition and the support you provided has been  instrumental for phone policies installed at a few schools since then, such as Garfield High School.  We want to share our appreciation to all of you along the way! 

There's been a lot of momentum nationally since we launched this petition. Nationally, 22 states have passed laws requiring phones to be put away for the entire school day (https://www.edweek.org/technology/which-states-ban-or-restrict-cellphones-in-schools/2024/06 - from first bell to last bell. That includes New York, Virginia, Arizona, and our neighbors - Oregon and Idaho. Some schools in Washington have started to adopt such policies (https://www.vashonbeachcomber.com/news/a-phone-free-mcmurray-lessons-one-year-in/ but each year we wait for a statewide law is another year that many students will fall behind academically and lose out on building closer in-person friendships. For the past two legislative sessions in WA, bills to restrict phones in schools have been introduced but failed to advance. 

Let's change that in the 2026 session! Washington students deserve to learn in schools free from distractions from phones and other personal electronics. Phone-free schools improve academic focus, mental health, and enable kids to build stronger social ties and connections (https://www.awayfortheday.org/research

Here's how you can help:
1. Add your name to this letter of support (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfh4YUz7syg36qubP68yV8VMG7fWUJdUMm847tQqd5XKN68BA/viewform 
2. If you have a spouse or partner, ask them to sign it, too
3. Forward it to 5 friends and ask them to sign it (and ask THEM to share it with 5 friends!)
4. Please also take a few minutes to send a message to your legislators that you support a bell-to-bell phone-free schools law. You can use this link (https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/1122 to reach your representatives about phone-free-schools legislation, and this link (https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/5346 to reach your state senators about phone-free-schools legislation. In the comment section, be sure to specify that you support a law that requires phones to be kept "away for the day" - watch this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MeS3z2uGgg to learn why that kind of "bell-to-bell" law is better than less restrictive policies.