Dodgers Delay Newsletter

August 2026

We hope your summer has been filled with adventure, exploration, relaxation, connection, and fun! We have been busy advocating at our local and state level. We encourage you to do the same, especially at the upcoming Madison Board of Education meeting on August 25th (see below).

New Jersey had a big win protecting our kids online. Dodgers Delay was honored to be invited by Governor Mikie Sherrill to witness the following bills being signed into law. Dr. Laura Venuto and Heidi Muccifori represented us in Jersey City (see pic below). These laws address the cause and effects of social media addiction and hold tech companies accountable.

A4015/S3413 - "New Jersey Kids Code Act"

• Strengthens privacy and safety standards for children on social media platforms and requires social media companies to take steps to prevent compulsive use by children. 

A4014/S3411 - Establishes Social Media Research Center at four-year public institution of higher education.

• Creates a new center at a public institution of higher education to study the impacts of social media on minors, make recommendations to address health challenges created by social media, and develop courses to encourage safe use.

A4013/S3412 - Requires Social Media Research Center to research and make recommendations concerning addictive social media behaviors.

• Directs the Social Media Research Center to study the creation and implementation of evidence-based disclaimers around harmful social media behaviors.

Please share and continue to spread the word so that as a community we can DELAY together!

DELAY access to fully-loaded smartphones

DELAY access to social media

DELAY unfettered access to the internet

For more info, visit our new website www.dodgersdelay.com or email us at dodgersdelay@gmail.com.

Plans are taking shape for our Fall Event. We are excited to bring in a speaker to address how to handle “tech leap years” - how and when to introduce tech into your homes.

More details to follow.

Save the Date: Monday, November 16th

■ Did you loosen the tech leash over the summer? If so, here are a few tips to tighten up and get organized for a new school year. Take ALL tech out of the bedroom. Create a charging station so that you know all devices are away for the night. Review parental control settings on your devices. Make sure bedtimes are set.

■Random House Publishing is hosting “A Conversation with Jared Cooney Horvath and Jonathan Haidt” on Zoom on August 25th at 5pm.

“Technology has transformed nearly every aspect of our lives—including the classroom. But what has all that change meant for the way children learn?

Join neuroscientist and educator Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, author of The Digital Delusion, for a live conversation with Jonathan Haidt, bestselling author of The Anxious Generation. Together, they'll explore the latest research on learning, development, and classroom technology—and discuss what parents, educators, and school leaders can do to help children thrive in an increasingly digital world.

Rather than a traditional book talk, this will be an open conversation about some of the biggest questions facing education today, including:

• What the research tells us about technology and learning

• Why more technology doesn't always lead to better educational outcomes

• How parents and educators can support deeper learning in and out of the classroom

• Audience Q&A with Jared and Jonathan

Whether you're a parent, teacher, school leader, or simply curious about the future of education, we hope you'll join us for this timely discussion.”

Madison Board of Education will be meeting on August 25th at 7pm in the Madison High School library when they will publicly share policy updates on tech use and AI in our schools. We strongly encourage you to attend and participate in this meeting, either in person or virtually, to understand changes that will be made for your children in school. Recordings are available online after, and agendas are also posted on the district’s website.

“My daughter attended two weeks of sleepaway camp this summer. She made new friendships and came home with endless stories of her adventures. She never missed her tech. We sent her with a very simple digital camera that doesn’t have a screen to view photos so it feels more like an old school point and shoot cam. She was able to capture tons of memories. She’s preparing to work on her scrapbook next!"

-Madison parent

We’d love to hear from you! Please email us to share your story.

■ Grab some fishing rods and worms (Walmart or Dick’s)! Bike or drive to Kitchell Pond for a fishing trip. Pro tip: In the evening, the fish are very active and are pretty easy to catch. There are also lots of turtles and birds.

■ Screen free fun isn’t just for the kids! Rose City Mahjong is opening in their own space and working on getting a league going.

Email us with your creative and fun ideas to share!

“Meta ordered to pay $567 million into abatement fund as remedy to child harms case in New Mexico”

-CNBC, August 6, 2026

“Google Turns on Gemini A.I. for Students Using Its Classroom App”

“Google enabled A.I. features for K-12 schools that have allowed students access to Gemini. Until this week, Google automatically enabled Gemini in Classroom only for students 18 or older.”

-The New York Times, August 2026