Petition for Intentional Technology Use in Richmond City Schools
A campaign from The Balance Project - Central Virginia Region
Sign This Campaign
243
Signatures
243 of 500 signatures
49% to goal
Every action matters
Recent supporters:
Community Member signed
5 days ago
Community Member signed
14 days ago
Parent signed
19 days ago
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 Richmond City school board
MEETINGS
Work session the first Monday of the month, business meeting the next business day, both at 6 p.m. in the School Board Room, 17th floor, City Hall, 301 N. Ninth Street.
SPEAK AT A MEETING
Contact the Clerk of the School Board at 804-780-7716 or prichard@rvaschools.net to register.
BOARD MEMBERS AND EMAILS
https://www.rvaschools.net/leadership/rps-school-board
MEETING CALENDAR
https://www.rvaschools.net/leadership/general-information/school-board-and-committee-meeting-calendar
AGENDAS
https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/richmond/Board.nsf/Public
Dear Mr. Jason Kamras and School Board Members,
We are writing to urge Richmond Public 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 RPS to follow their example.
Our Requests
We urge RPS 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 RPS to act now to protect the health, development, and academic success of our children.
Sincerely,
The undersigned
Sincerely,
The undersigned
Recent Supporters
-
5 days ago
Community Member
Signed in Richmond, VA
-
14 days ago
Community Member
Signed in Richmond, VA
-
19 days ago
Parent
Signed in Richmond, VA
243 supporters have signed this campaign
Sign This Campaign
243
Signatures
243 of 500 signatures
49% to goal
Every action matters
Recent supporters:
Community Member signed
5 days ago
Community Member signed
14 days ago
Parent signed
19 days ago
Share This Campaign
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Community Impact
Families across 324 schools are joining this movement
243
Families Represented
32
Schools
PreK-12
Grade Range
| School | Grade | Count |
|---|---|---|
|
Mary Munford Elementary
47 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 7 | |
| Grade 1 | 13 | |
| Grade 2 | 6 | |
| Grade 3 | 4 | |
| Grade 4 | 4 | |
| Grade 5 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 10 | |
|
Linwood Holton Elementary
25 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 11 | |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade 2 | 1 | |
| Grade 3 | 4 | |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 5 | |
|
Thomas H. Henderson Middle
5 total students
|
Grade 6 | 2 |
| Grade 7 | 1 | |
| Grade 8 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Chimborazo Elementary
4 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 1 | |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
William Fox Elementary
7 total students
|
Grade K | 4 |
| Grade 5 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Albert Hill Middle
18 total students
|
Grade 6 | 6 |
| Grade 7 | 3 | |
| Grade 8 | 4 | |
| Grade not listed | 5 | |
|
Lois Harrison-Jones Elementary
28 total students
|
Grade K | 11 |
| Grade 1 | 9 | |
| Grade 3 | 3 | |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
| Grade 5 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Swansboro Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Westover Hills Elementary
17 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 1 | |
| Grade 1 | 1 | |
| Grade 2 | 4 | |
| Grade 3 | 6 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
J.B. Fisher Elementary
12 total students
|
Grade K | 1 |
| Grade 1 | 2 | |
| Grade 2 | 7 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Tuckahoe Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
St. Catherine's School
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts and Technology
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Franklin Military Academy
7 total students
|
Grade 6 | 2 |
| Grade 7 | 1 | |
| Grade 8 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 3 | |
|
Maybeury Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade 2 | 1 |
|
Southampton Elementary
4 total students
|
Grade 3 | 2 |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Patrick Henry School Of Science And Arts
11 total students
|
Grade 1 | 3 |
| Grade 2 | 4 | |
| Grade 3 | 1 | |
| Grade not listed | 3 | |
|
Bellevue Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 2 | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Overby-Sheppard Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 3 | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Glen Allen High
1 total student
|
Grade 12 | 1 |
|
Dogwood Middle
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Maymont Pre-K Center
1 total student
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
|
Lucille M. Brown Middle
1 total student
|
Grade 7 | 1 |
|
J.H. Blackwell Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Pocahontas Middle
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
|
Thomas C. Boushall Middle
1 total student
|
Grade 7 | 1 |
|
J.L. Francis Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade K | 1 |
|
Old Hundred Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade 4 | 1 |
|
Tomahawk Creek Middle
1 total student
|
Grade 6 | 1 |
|
Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies
1 total student
|
Grade 11 | 1 |
|
Central Montessori School of Virginia
1 total student
|
Grade K | 1 |
243 supporters have signed this campaign