Petition for Intentional Technology Use in Westminster School District Schools

A campaign from WSD Families for Intentional Technology Use

Sign This Campaign

5
Signatures
5 of 500 signatures
1% to goal
Every action matters

You may receive email updates about this campaign from WSD Families for Intentional Technology Use

Recent supporters:
Kimberly Kessler 17 days ago Sarah Farmer 23 days ago Vickie Hungerford 23 days ago

Why This Matters

The purpose of this petition is to unite local parents, educators, and community members to demand our school board adopt the nation's leading classroom screen-time standards—including strict limits, platform blocks, and weekly parental reports—to safeguard our children's learning environment.

We are petitioning to eliminate WSD's mandatory student device take home program completely for early learning through 2nd grade and requesting an OPT-IN ONLY student device take home program for 3rd grade through 8th grade (only if students need to take the device home for educational purposes).

We are asking for less screen time, more accountability, more restrictions around technology use, and more visibility. We must reclaim control over student screen time before it controls them.

Please come together and help us petition WSD for Intentional Technology Use.

 
Dear Superintendent Dr. Gunn Marie Hansen,
We are writing to urge Westminster School District 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 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 WSD to follow their example.
Our Requests
We urge Westminster School District to adopt a comprehensive screen time policy that includes the following:
1. Eliminate devices completely 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. Adopt an OPT-IN policy for students who need to use devices at home instead of a mandatory take home policy. 

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 Westminster School District, we have seen firsthand how screens affect our children's ability to focus, connect with their peers, and engage in meaningful learning. We are tired of our children being forced to bring their Chromebooks home. The parents are fed-up with the responsibility of the mandatory student device take home program. We are requesting an OPT-IN ONLY student device take home program for children in grades 3-8 who need to take the devices home for educational purposes only. We are asking for less screen time, more accountability, more restrictions around technology use, and more visibility. We must reclaim control over student screen time before it controls them.
The science is clear. The public consensus is growing. LAUSD has shown it can be done. We respectfully urge WSD to act now to protect the health, development, and academic success of our children.

Sincerely, 
The undersigned

Recent Supporters

  • Kimberly Kessler

    Parent

    17 days ago

  • Sarah Farmer

    Parent

    23 days ago

  • Vickie Hungerford

    Teacher

    23 days ago
5 supporters have signed this campaign

Share This Campaign

*Separate multiple emails with commas

Need to share on your social networks or via text? Copy this link and paste it into your message.
QR Code for Campaign: Petition for Intentional Technology Use in Westminster School District Schools