Wait Until 8th L.A.
Introducing the Wait Until 8th L.A. Chapter!
I Love L.A.! We love it!
With over 500,000 students, LAUSD is the largest school district in California and the second largest school district in the United States. It can feel overwhelming, but within each school community there are vibrant hubs of connection through class WhatsApp discussions, school volunteer efforts, and of course your school’s Wait Until 8th pledge! We created the LAUSD chapter of Wait Until 8th to bridge the massive geographical landscape of L.A. schools and rally together with likeminded parents navigating the journey of raising kids in an era of smartphones, social media, AI, classroom technology, and more.
Parents Have the Power!
Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation recently shared an uplifting message about the explosive growth of this global grassroots movement of parents!
“What gives me hope is that things are changing so fast. The parents all see it and they’re signing up like, ‘Yes! What can I do?’ The teachers all see it and they’re like, ‘Hallelujah! We’ve hated this for ten years.’ The principals are all like, ‘It’s been chaos and drama. Let’s get rid of the phones right now!’ It’s happening around the world…We are at the tipping point.”
In February LAUSD schools implemented their own phone-free policy, but parents haven’t stopped there! This school year parents from local organization Schools Beyond Screens have been commenting at LAUSD Board meetings pushing for further oversight of classroom technology and Board members have been hearing from parents across the district. We are at the tipping point!
Increased Screen Time = Historic Low Test Scores
The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), the gold standard of academic tests, recently reported historic low scores in math and reading attributed to “increased screen time, shortened attention spans, and changes in teaching methods.”
“The dip in reading scores appeared alongside a shift in how English and language arts are taught in schools, with an emphasis on short texts and book excerpts, said Carol Jago, associate director of the California Reading and Literature Project at UCLA. As a high school English teacher 20 years ago, Jago said it was common for her high school students to read 20 books over the course of a year. Now, some English classes are assigning just three books a year.”
“In reading, the average score in 2024 was the lowest score in the history of the assessment, which began in 1992.”
What Should Parents Do? First, Read This Book
Jean Twenge offers tons of practical, research-backed guidance in her new book, 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World. Join parents from Phone-Free Ivanhoe at their next book club on November 6th to discuss! Email waituntil8thla@gmail.com for more information on how to join the discussion!
In the News
Hold the Phone! Why Parents Are Getting Landlines for Their Kids
How Chatbots and AI Are Already Transforming Kids' Classrooms
“OK Google, Make Middle School Suck Even More!” (by LAUSD parent John Wooden!)
Meta’s AI rules have let bots hold ‘sensual’ chats with kids, offer false medical info
Digital Dopamine Is Consuming America. It’s Time to Fight for IRL.
Flashback Fave: Get Tech Out of the Classroom Before It’s Too Late
Video: How To Advocate For A Tech-Safe School Year: Live Q&A | Aug 13, 2025
Strength in Numbers
With the rapidly evolving tech landscape both inside and outside of the classroom, it’s crucial to have fellow parents to connect with in real life for guidance. LAUSD is a phone-free school district and the Wait Until 8th pledge is typically embraced by schools as a way to support the district’s policy and cultivate a phone-free educational environment. It’s an easy ask and there’s so much strength in numbers!
Let’s get a link to the pledge in every school newsletter!
Let’s message our school & parent WhatsApp groups about signing the pledge!
Here’s a sample text message to help spread the word:
Hey! I just signed the Wait Until 8th pledge—it’s a way for parents to delay giving kids smartphones together until at least the end of 8th grade. It only kicks in once 10 families in the same grade sign, so you’re not doing it alone. It’s for smartphones only—you can still get a basic phone or watch for your kid if you need to get in touch sooner. Check it out: www.waituntil8th.org. Let me know what you think!
More resources HERE!
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