Petition for Intentional Technology Use in Malden Public Schools

Dear Superintendent Sippel, Mayor Christenson, and Malden School Committee Members,

We are writing to urge Malden Public Schools to take bold action on the growing crisis of excessive screen time in our schools.

Children in America already spend an average of nine hours per day on screens outside of school. Rather than counterbalancing this trend, many districts, including Malden, 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 Malden Public Schools to follow their example.

We urge Malden Public 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 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.

 As parents in Malden Public Schools, we have seen firsthand how screens affect our children's ability to focus, connect with their peers, and engage in meaningful learning. Many parents spoke out at School Committee meetings this year, and met with their School Committee members from their ward to discuss maximizing students' intellectual potential while incorporating responsible technology use. School year 25-26 started with an AI Petition and the birth of Reconnect Malden, another grassroots organization strongly allied to Schools Beyond Screens Malden's mission. The school year is ending with more parents than ever voicing their concerns in Malden about the harm being doing to our children via the overuse of screens. 

Schools Beyond Screens is a national coalition advocating for classroom technology that is student-centered rather than corporate-sponsored. We push for school policies grounded in independent research, public accountability, and developmentally appropriate practice as outlined in the SBS Student Tech Bill of Rights.

The movement has been featured on the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, NY Times, LA Times,
The 74, The Hill, Mashable, LAist, Scrolling 2 Death podcast and more.

The science is clear. The public consensus is growing. LAUSD has shown it can be done. We respectfully urge Malden Public Schools to act now to protect the health, development, and academic success of our children.

Sincerely, 
The undersigned