Supporting a Balanced Approach to technology in Schools
A campaign from The Balance Project - Twin Cities Balance Project
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50
Signatures
50 of 100 signatures
50% to goal
Every action matters
Recent supporters:
Robbie Smalling about 18 hours ago
Amanda Smalling 1 day ago
Nate Larson 1 day ago
Why This Matters
A convergence of research, legislative action, parent organizing, and international evidence has placed K–12 technology use at the center of a global conversation. While technology expands access and enables new forms of learning, a growing body of evidence is raising serious questions about how much is too much and whether the outcomes justify the tradeoffs.
In April 2026, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest in the U.S, unanimously passed a resolution to reduce and limit screen use in classrooms, reflecting a growing consensus that the current approach must change. We hope to build on that momentum and bring a better balance to classrooms across the country, and we humbly ask for your support.
Dear Hopkins School District Leadership,
We are parents and community members who support technology's role in education — but believe the pendulum has swung too far. New and growing research from institutions like the American Academy of Pediatrics, MIT, Harvard, and UNESCO shows that excessive screen use is affecting children's focus, mental health, and academic development in ways that demand attention.
U.S. children already average 7.5 hours of daily screen time outside school, yet 88% of public schools issue devices to every child, including kindergartners. We aren't asking for technology to be removed — we're asking for a thoughtful, evidence-informed review of how it's being used, and a seat at the table as that conversation evolves.
We were encouraged by the landmark screen time resolution passed by LAUSD in April 2026, and we'd love for Hopkins to join that conversation.
As a starting point, we respectfully request the district:
1. Block non-educational platforms on district devices. Restrict student access to YouTube, YouTube Shorts, social media, video streaming platforms, and non-instructional gaming (e.g., Roblox, Fortnite) during the school day.
As a starting point, we respectfully request the district:
1. Block non-educational platforms on district devices. Restrict student access to YouTube, YouTube Shorts, social media, video streaming platforms, and non-instructional gaming (e.g., Roblox, Fortnite) during the school day.
2. Develop an age-gated technology plan. Clearly define and share the district's approach to when, where, and how technology — including 1:1 devices, EdTech, and AI tools — should be used at each grade level. Provide guidance for teachers, students, and families on appropriate use, and include a regular evaluation process with results shared with families.
3. Create a formal Screen Time Policy with specific, enforceable, research-backed limits by grade level. The policy should prioritize screen use that offers genuine educational value that cannot be replicated offline, prohibit recreational screen time during passing periods, lunch, recess, and free time, and include a system for tracking and reporting screen time by application, grade level, and school — shared quarterly with the board and regularly with families.
4. Publish a complete list of all approved tools with their intended use, including EdTech platforms, educational websites, AI tools, and firewalls. Ensure families can review privacy policies and opt in or out of specific programs — not just blanket consent forms — and guarantee offline alternatives are always available. Ensure full compliance with state and federal law.
5. Transition away from 1:1 devices in early childhood and elementary school. Encourage shared models like laptop carts and computer labs, and reduce permanent device assignment for young children, which is not supported by independent research. Require a digital competency assessment and signed acknowledgment from both parents and students before any device is issued. Remove requirements to take devices home until high school.
6. Actively encourage print, physical textbooks, and paper-based homework, especially for elementary and middle school students. Ensure all district-approved curricula includes sufficient physical texts for every student, and that analog learning is always a first-class option — not an afterthought.
7. Prioritize and protect recess through at least 8th grade. Research consistently shows that unstructured outdoor play supports physical health, social development, emotional regulation, and academic focus — and its benefits don't stop at elementary school. Treat recess as non-negotiable and resist any pressure to reduce it in favor of additional screen-based instruction.
8. Share details about content monitoring. For tools that flag potentially harmful content, please clarify: what terms and categories are monitored, how alert thresholds are defined, who reviews alerts and how often, how the district determines whether parents are notified, and what is and isn't monitored when a device is used at home. Commit to sharing regular audit data with families, including alert volume, actionable flags, and false positives.
9. Establish a clear, current AI strategy and policy. Developing brains are not appropriate test subjects during a steep learning period on the costs, benefits, and ethics of generative AI. Restrict AI tools to teacher instructional materials until the district can verify they've been vetted for safety, legality, and educational efficacy for minors. Clearly communicate to parents if AI is being used to assess student work.
10. Invest in professional development for teachers, administrators, and staff on both limiting and using screen time effectively, including training on emerging technologies like generative AI.
11. Deliver media literacy and digital wellness education at every grade level, including opportunities for parent education. Topics should include online safety, privacy, the impacts of social media, how excessive screen time affects mind and body, and how to build healthier habits. Not all screens are created equal, and students and families deserve to understand the difference.
12. Form a technology advisory committee of teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and outside experts to review current and proposed EdTech products, monitor emerging research and compliance requirements, ensure advance notice of new tools, and maintain ongoing dialogue with families — including opt-in/out and non-screen alternatives.
12. Form a technology advisory committee of teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and outside experts to review current and proposed EdTech products, monitor emerging research and compliance requirements, ensure advance notice of new tools, and maintain ongoing dialogue with families — including opt-in/out and non-screen alternatives.
13. Publish a comprehensive technology handbook that consolidates all of the above in one accessible document — including screen time policy, grade-level device and app guidance, AI use and rationale, content monitoring practices, at-home expectations, and a list of all approved applications and websites for school and home use.
We believe these steps will help Hopkins schools create a healthier, more balanced learning environment — and we look forward to working alongside you to make that happen.
Recent Supporters
-
about 18 hours ago
Robbie Smalling
Parent
-
1 day ago
Amanda Smalling
Parent
-
1 day ago
Nate Larson
Parent
50 supporters have signed this campaign
Sign This Campaign
50
Signatures
50 of 100 signatures
50% to goal
Every action matters
Recent supporters:
Robbie Smalling about 18 hours ago
Amanda Smalling 1 day ago
Nate Larson 1 day ago
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Community Impact
Families across 11 schools are joining this movement
50
Families Represented
7
Schools
PreK-12
Grade Range
| School | Grade | Count |
|---|---|---|
|
Meadowbrook Elementary
14 total students
|
Grade PreK | 1 |
| Grade K | 1 | |
| Grade 2 | 2 | |
| Grade 3 | 2 | |
| Grade 5 | 4 | |
| Grade not listed | 4 | |
|
Hopkins High School
7 total students
|
Grade 10 | 2 |
| Grade 11 | 3 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Hopkins North Middle School
17 total students
|
Grade 6 | 2 |
| Grade 7 | 9 | |
| Grade 8 | 4 | |
| Grade not listed | 2 | |
|
Hopkins West Middle School
6 total students
|
Grade 6 | 2 |
| Grade 7 | 1 | |
| Grade 8 | 2 | |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
L H Tanglen Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 1 | 1 |
| Grade 4 | 1 | |
|
Eisenhower Elementary
2 total students
|
Grade 5 | 1 |
| Grade not listed | 1 | |
|
Alice Smith Elementary
1 total student
|
Grade not listed | 1 |
50 supporters have signed this campaign