this post was submitted on 18 May 2024
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We had a debate in our district about start times, and there were a myriad of factors.
Working parents was one factor. Most people need to get their kids on the bus or dropped off before work.
Bussing was another hurdle. The High School busses needed to be done in time to do the Middle School and Elementary School runs, which means most of the drivers were running three to five routes every morning. It's true, your teen might not need supervision in the morning, but your second grader shouldn't be home alone waiting for the bus.
The factor I didn't anticipate was after school activities. If your kid plays outdoor sports, you need classes to be over early enough to have enough daylight left for practices. One of the suggestions that was discussed was having the elementary schools start before the high school, but that did not leave enough time after school. Even the indoor activities would go too long into the evening for the kids to get their homework done.
There are a lot more factors, but those were the ones that surprised me.
Not enough time for homework seems like kids doing these activities already don't have enough time for everything and are sacrificing their sleep in order to get it all done. Feels like you can pick 2 between sleep, school work, and activities, and currently the latter two are winning.
Homework should be abolished.
Most sports activities are not daily. My kids go to training twice a week (one in the weekend) and music lessons once a week. They still find time to game online with their friends, as they should. I'm sure it's not the same everywhere but I don't get the sense my kids are super stressed.
How old are your kids? Most high school sports meet every day after school when they’re in-season where I teach, and every school I know of is the same.
I'm my district, high schoolers would no longer be able to work and provide for their family after school. Others needed to be home before their elementary school aged siblings and would no longer be able to. Those families won't be putting up money for care. Those second graders are most definitely just going to be home alone.
What kind of dystopian hellscape do you live on where children need to provide for their family?
A place in the US with minorities