Petition for Intentional Technology Use in Chesterfield County Schools
A campaign from The Balance Project - Central Virginia Region
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1537
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Why This Matters
Our kids spend a big part of the school day on screens, and most districts don't have clear rules on how much is too much or how young is too young.
This petition asks our school board for eight specific changes, including no devices for the youngest students, screen-time limits by grade, YouTube and games blocked on school laptops, and a way for parents to see what their child is doing and opt out.
Henrico County worked through these same eight asks and adopted screen-time limits in August. The same eight asks are going to school boards across the state and to legislators in Virginia ahead of the January General Assembly session. Every name here asks for guidance at a district level, and also adds another voice supporting our kids in our state level advocacy efforts.
Signing takes a couple of minutes. If you can, come to a board meeting too. The more we speak out, the more the issue comes to the forefront. Meeting times and how to sign up to speak are below.
Your Chesterfield County School Board Meetings
Work sessions at 4 p.m., business meetings at 6:30 p.m., Public Meeting Room, 10001 Iron Bridge Road.
Watch live: https://chesterfieldschoolsva.swagit.com/live
Speak or send a written comment: https://www.oneccps.org/page/public-participation-meeting-notices
Board members and emails: https://www.oneccps.org/page/school-board
Agendas: https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/chesterfield/Board.nsf/Public
Dear Dr. John Murray and School Board Members,
We are writing to urge Chesterfield County Schools to take bold action on the growing crisis of excessive screen time in our schools.
Research from Common Sense Media found that teens spend an average of nearly nine hours per day using entertainment media outside of schoolwork, while tweens average about six hours. Rather than counterbalancing this trend, many districts have unintentionally compounded it through unchecked use of classroom devices, 1:1 device programs, and EdTech platforms with little accountability. The American Academy of Pediatrics has linked excessive screen time to vision problems, anxiety, depression, addictive behavior, reduced attention span, and lower academic achievement. This is not a future risk. It is happening to our children now.
We were encouraged to see Los Angeles Unified School District -- the second-largest school district in the nation -- pass a landmark resolution in early 2026 committing to a formal Screen Time Policy with specific, enforceable limits. LAUSD's leadership demonstrates that districts of any size can take meaningful action. We are asking Chesterfield County Schools to follow their example.
Our Requests
We urge Chesterfield County Schools to adopt a comprehensive screen time policy that includes the following:
1. Eliminate devices for the youngest students. Remove digital devices from early education through 2nd grade classrooms, except where required for mandated assessments. Children at this stage of development need hands-on, in-person learning experiences above all else.
2. Set specific, enforceable screen time limits by grade level. Establish clear daily and weekly maximums for student screen use on district devices, with less screen time for younger students. Screen time should be prioritized only when it provides educational value that cannot be replicated offline.
3. Reduce 1:1 device programs in elementary school. Transition to shared laptop carts and computer labs for grades 3-5. Research on 1:1 device programs in elementary school has produced mixed results, while concerns continue to grow about excessive cumulative screen exposure for young children.
4. Block non-educational platforms on district devices. Prohibit student access to YouTube, social media, and non-instructional gaming platforms like Roblox during the school day. Teachers may retain the ability to use appropriate video content for instruction, but unrestricted or unsupervised student access creates unnecessary distractions and risks.
5. Ban device use during unstructured time. Prohibit device use during passing periods, lunch, and recess for elementary and middle school students. These moments of unstructured time are critical for social development and should not be dominated by screens.
6. Provide parents with transparency and meaningful opt-out rights. Share weekly reports on children's screen activity on district devices. Allow families to opt out of specific EdTech programs -- not just blanket consent forms -- and ensure alternative learning methods are always available.
7. Encourage paper, physical textbooks, and off-screen homework. Many studies have found stronger comprehension and retention with print materials, and research from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital has raised concerns about screen-based reading for young children and its association with weaker language and literacy outcomes. Policies should actively encourage analog alternatives, especially for homework at the elementary and middle school level.
8. Evaluate all EdTech contracts for educational value and student data privacy. Require independent review of EdTech products. Do not rely solely on vendor-supplied research. Ensure student data is protected and that contracts include accountability mechanisms.
A growing body of research and public concern points to the need for more intentional technology use in schools. LAUSD has shown it can be done. We respectfully urge Chesterfield County Schools to act now to protect the health, development, and academic success of our children.
Sincerely,
The undersigned
Sincerely,
The undersigned
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1537 supporters have signed this campaign
Sign This Campaign
1537
Signatures
1537 of 1600 signatures
96% to goal
Every action matters
Recent supporters:
Parent signed
14 days ago
Parent signed
17 days ago
Parent signed
17 days ago
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Community Impact
Families across 324 schools are joining this movement
1537
Families Represented
89
Schools
PreK-12
Grade Range
| School | Grade | Count |
|---|---|---|
|
W.W. Gordon Elementary
79 total students
|
Grade K | 14 |
| Grade 1 | 12 | |
| Grade 2 | 10 | |
| Grade 3 | 9 | |
| Grade 4 | 5 | |
| Grade 5 | 12 | |
| Grade not listed | 16 | |
| Grade Prek | 1 | |
|
JB Watkins Elementary
141 total students
|
Grade K | 32 |
| Grade 1 | 24 | |
| Grade 2 | 27 | |
| Grade 3 | 18 | |
| Grade 4 | 10 | |
| Grade 5 | 14 | |
| Grade not listed | 11 | |
| Grade Prek | 5 | |
|
Evergreen Elementary
31 total students
|
Grade K | 7 |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade 2 | 2 | |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 4 | |
| Grade 5 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 14 | |
|
Grange Hall Elementary
40 total students
|
Grade K | 5 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | |
| Grade 2 | 8 | |
| Grade 3 | 8 | |
| Grade 4 | 5 | |
| Grade 5 | 5 | |
| Grade not listed | 3 | |
|
Cosby High
27 total students
|
Grade 9 | 10 |
| Grade 10 | 7 | |
| Grade 11 | 3 | |
| Grade 12 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 5 | |
|
Alberta Smith Elementary
26 total students
|
Grade K | 2 |
| Grade 2 | 2 | |
| Grade 3 | 4 | |
| Grade 4 | 3 | |
| Grade 5 | 11 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Swift Creek Middle
34 total students
|
Grade 6 | 8 |
| Grade 7 | 14 | |
| Grade 8 | 5 | |
| Grade not listed | 7 | |
|
Robious Elementary
49 total students
|
Grade K | 7 |
| Grade 1 | 5 | |
| Grade 2 | 10 | |
| Grade 3 | 5 | |
| Grade 4 | 3 | |
| Grade 5 | 6 | |
| Grade 6 | 2 | |
| Grade 7 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 10 | |
|
Spring Run Elementary
13 total students
|
Grade PreK | 2 |
| Grade K | 2 | |
| Grade 1 | 2 | |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 3 | |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Midlothian High
40 total students
|
Grade 6 | 1 |
| Grade 9 | 10 | |
| Grade 10 | 10 | |
| Grade 11 | 7 | |
| Grade 12 | 4 | |
| Grade not listed | 8 | |
|
Midlothian Middle
90 total students
|
Grade 6 | 30 |
| Grade 7 | 33 | |
| Grade 8 | 14 | |
| Grade not listed | 13 | |
|
Matoaca High
5 total students
|
Grade 9 | 1 |
| Grade 10 | 2 | |
| Grade 11 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Tomahawk Creek Middle
37 total students
|
Grade 6 | 10 |
| Grade 7 | 11 | |
| Grade 8 | 11 | |
| Grade not listed | 5 | |
|
Swift Creek Elementary
69 total students
|
Grade PreK | 3 |
| Grade K | 11 | |
| Grade 1 | 6 | |
| Grade 2 | 5 | |
| Grade 3 | 13 | |
| Grade 4 | 5 | |
| Grade 5 | 9 | |
| Grade 6 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 16 | |
|
Bettie Weaver Elementary
96 total students
|
Grade PreK | 2 |
| Grade K | 15 | |
| Grade 1 | 13 | |
| Grade 2 | 12 | |
| Grade 3 | 14 | |
| Grade 4 | 12 | |
| Grade 5 | 6 | |
| Grade not listed | 22 | |
|
Clover Hill High
8 total students
|
Grade 9 | 1 |
| Grade 10 | 2 | |
| Grade 11 | 2 | |
| Grade 12 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies
1 total student
|
Grade 11 | 1 |
|
Robious Middle
57 total students
|
Grade 6 | 18 |
| Grade 7 | 12 | |
| Grade 8 | 11 | |
| Grade not listed | 16 | |
|
Old Hundred Elementary
34 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 9 | |
| Grade 1 | 4 | |
| Grade 2 | 6 | |
| Grade 3 | 6 | |
| Grade 4 | 3 | |
| Grade 5 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 3 | |
|
Winterpock Elementary
22 total students
|
Grade K | 7 |
| Grade 1 | 3 | |
| Grade 2 | 4 | |
| Grade 3 | 2 | |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
| Grade 5 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Woolridge Elementary
71 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 7 | |
| Grade 1 | 12 | |
| Grade 2 | 16 | |
| Grade 3 | 10 | |
| Grade 4 | 4 | |
| Grade 5 | 10 | |
| Grade not listed | 11 | |
|
Greenfield Elementary
40 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 5 | |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade 3 | 3 | |
| Grade 4 | 11 | |
| Grade 5 | 9 | |
| Grade not listed | 10 | |
|
St. Christopher's School
1 total student
|
Grade 8 | 1 |
|
James River High
17 total students
|
Grade 9 | 5 |
| Grade 10 | 5 | |
| Grade 11 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Deep Creek Middle
33 total students
|
Grade 6 | 9 |
| Grade 7 | 10 | |
| Grade 8 | 8 | |
| Grade not listed | 6 | |
|
Bailey Bridge Middle
18 total students
|
Grade 6 | 8 |
| Grade 7 | 4 | |
| Grade 8 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Clover Hill Elementary
23 total students
|
Grade K | 2 |
| Grade 1 | 2 | |
| Grade 2 | 2 | |
| Grade 3 | 4 | |
| Grade 4 | 2 | |
| Grade 5 | 7 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Moseley Elementary
32 total students
|
Grade PreK | 2 |
| Grade K | 5 | |
| Grade 1 | 8 | |
| Grade 2 | 4 | |
| Grade 3 | 4 | |
| Grade 4 | 2 | |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 6 | |
|
Matoaca Elementary
5 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade 2 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
|
Pre-School Dev. Center
1 total student
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
|
O.B. Gates Elementary
4 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 3 | 3 | |
|
Lloyd C. Bird High
4 total students
|
Grade 9 | 1 |
| Grade 10 | 1 | |
| Grade 12 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Salem Church Elementary
9 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 1 | 2 | |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
| Grade 5 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
A.M. Davis Elementary
11 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 1 | 2 | |
| Grade 2 | 3 | |
| Grade 4 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Reams Road Elementary
19 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 4 | |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade 2 | 1 | |
| Grade 3 | 3 | |
| Grade 4 | 2 | |
| Grade 5 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Hopkins Road Elementary
3 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Monacan High
17 total students
|
Grade 9 | 4 |
| Grade 10 | 6 | |
| Grade 11 | 1 | |
| Grade 12 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Falling Creek Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 2 | 1 |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
|
Manchester Middle
8 total students
|
Grade 6 | 1 |
| Grade 7 | 5 | |
| Grade 8 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Crenshaw Elementary
7 total students
|
Grade 1 | 1 |
| Grade 3 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Providence Elementary
18 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 5 | |
| Grade 1 | 2 | |
| Grade 2 | 1 | |
| Grade 3 | 3 | |
| Grade 4 | 3 | |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Bon Air Elementary
35 total students
|
Grade K | 4 |
| Grade 1 | 10 | |
| Grade 2 | 2 | |
| Grade 3 | 3 | |
| Grade 4 | 6 | |
| Grade 5 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 7 | |
|
C.C. Wells Elementary
7 total students
|
Grade K | 3 |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Thomas Dale High
8 total students
|
Grade 9 | 4 |
| Grade 11 | 2 | |
| Grade 12 | 2 | |
|
North Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade 2 | 1 |
|
Ettrick Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 5 | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Echo Lake Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Crestwood Elementary
41 total students
|
Grade K | 10 |
| Grade 1 | 11 | |
| Grade 2 | 7 | |
| Grade 3 | 3 | |
| Grade 4 | 3 | |
| Grade 5 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Manchester High
12 total students
|
Grade 10 | 7 |
| Grade 11 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Ecoff Elementary
6 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 2 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Elizabeth Scott Elementary
7 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 3 | |
|
William Fox Elementary
3 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Meadowbrook High
4 total students
|
Grade 11 | 1 |
| Grade 12 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Matoaca Middle
6 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 7 | 2 | |
| Grade 8 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
C.E. Curtis Elementary
4 total students
|
Grade 2 | 3 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Millwood School
1 total student
|
Grade 8 | 1 |
|
Ridge Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade 1 | 1 |
|
Elizabeth Davis Middle
12 total students
|
Grade 2 | 1 |
| Grade 6 | 3 | |
| Grade 7 | 4 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Beulah Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 3 | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Carver Middle
6 total students
|
Grade 6 | 2 |
| Grade 7 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Providence Middle
6 total students
|
Grade 6 | 1 |
| Grade 8 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 3 | |
|
Gayton Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Bellwood Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 3 | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Elizabeth Holladay Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade K | 1 |
|
Enon Elementary
7 total students
|
Grade K | 2 |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade 2 | 1 | |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Tuckahoe Middle
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Jacobs Road Elementary
9 total students
|
Grade 2 | 1 |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 2 | |
| Grade 5 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 3 | |
|
Salem Church Middle
1 total student
|
Grade 7 | 1 |
|
Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology
1 total student
|
Grade 9 | 1 |
|
Harrowgate Elementary
4 total students
|
Grade 4 | 3 |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
|
Collegiate School
2 total students
|
Grade 5 | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
St Edward-Epiphany School
3 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
|
Nuckols Farm Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade K | 1 |
|
Linwood Holton Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
|
William A. Walton Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade K | 1 |
|
St. Joseph's Catholic School
1 total student
|
Grade K | 1 |
|
J.A. Chalkley Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
|
Marguerite F. Christian Elementary
4 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Cloverhill Christian Academy
1 total student
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
|
Crestview Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade K | 2 |
|
Greenwood Elementary (Chesterfield)
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Kersey Creek Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade 3 | 1 |
|
Twin Hickory Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade K | 1 |
|
Chesterfield Tech.
1 total student
|
Grade 12 | 1 |
|
General Academic Development
1 total student
|
Grade 6 | 1 |
|
J.G. Hening Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade 3 | 1 |
|
Chesterfield Community High
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Millwood School
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Thelma Crenshaw Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade K | 2 |
1537 supporters have signed this campaign