Petition for Reasonable EdTech limits in Solana Beach School District
A campaign from Schools Beyond Screens - Schools Beyond Screens Solana Beach
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Why This Matters
School districts everywhere are rushing to adopt digital learning tools without proper safety studies or limits, despite research showing screens fragment attention and impair the deep thinking skills our kids need to develop. As parents, we have the power to demand reasonable and responsible EdTech policies that require evidence of educational benefit, ensure age-appropriate implementation, and protect our children's ability to focus and learn.
Dear Superintendent Burks,
We are writing to express our deepest concern regarding the overreliance of our public schools on screen-based learning.
Our children are already spending an enormous amount of time on screens outside of school, averaging nine hours per day for high school students, according to recent studies. Excessive screen time has been associated with many serious issues, including anxiety and depression, executive function disorders, eye disorders, sleep loss, neck pain, and screen addiction.
It is for these reasons that we applauded Solana Beach School District's recent policy on personal devices. However, it's time to acknowledge that school-issued devices present urgent problems of their own.
Internet access on classroom devices can fragment students' attention, making it difficult for them to think deeply and stay on task. Indeed, numerous studies have shown better comprehension and retention when students learn on paper versus screens. Classroom devices also create new behavioral challenges for teachers, requiring them to police online activity instead of teaching.
EdTech apps pose privacy risks through their collection of student data. And by gamifying the learning experience, they can undermine children's ability to focus on work that doesn't trigger short-term rewards, thereby diminishing the capacity for deep thinking.
Additionally, computer-based homework can be a gateway to unsanctioned online activity, placing an undue burden on parents to monitor their children's online activity at home.
Our Requests
We are proposing the following steps Solana Beach School District can take now to begin addressing these concerns
1. Eliminate devices for the youngest students. Remove digital devices from early education through 1st 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 2-5. Permanent 1:1 device assignment for young children is not supported by research and contributes to excessive cumulative screen exposure.
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 unsupervised student access has no place in the classroom.
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. Research consistently shows better comprehension and retention with print materials. 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.
Next Steps
We would be very happy to meet with you to discuss these concerns at your earliest convenience. Our goal is to work collaboratively with Solana Beach School District to ensure our children receive the highest quality education while protecting their health and development by meeting quarterly.
As parents in the Solana Beach School District community, we have seen firsthand how excessive screen time affects our children's ability to focus and engage in meaningful learning. We believe these changes will benefit not only academic outcomes but also student wellbeing.
On behalf of our children, we respectfully request that you take this issue seriously and work with our community to implement these evidence-based improvements.
Sincerely,
The undersigned
The undersigned
Recent Supporters
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about 1 hour ago
Parent
Signed in San Diego, CA
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about 13 hours ago
Parent
Signed in San Diego, CA
-
about 16 hours ago
Parent
Signed in San Diego, CA
193 supporters have signed this campaign
Sign This Campaign
193
Signatures
Together, we're changing what's normal
Recent supporters:
Parent signed
about 1 hour ago
Parent signed
about 13 hours ago
Parent signed
about 16 hours ago
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