Proposed time change for secondary schools not beneficial for students, families

Survey shows large majority against possible modification to schedule

NO+NEW+TIME+SCHEDULE.+After+surveying+over+100+students%2C+a+large+majority+voted+against+the+proposed+change.+

photo or infographic by John Gaspard

NO NEW TIME SCHEDULE. After surveying over 100 students, a large majority voted against the proposed change.

Once again the school year proves to be the year of much change. For those unaware of the newest proposed start and end times for next year, the school board has proposed a district-wide flipping of time tables for all schools. This means that the elementary schools would start at 7:35 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m., while the high school and middle schools would begin their days at 8:45 a.m. and end them at 4:20 p.m. While this might at first sound incredible seeing as it means they would be allowed to sleep later into the day, it would appear that not all students are very fond of the idea.

Just a little extra time spent thinking about it shows that not only are the time changes a bad idea, they wouldn’t even be effective in their main goal – well-rested students.

A survey was conducted to see what the students thought. Out of the 115 students surveyed, 99 were against the change. For context that’s roughly 87% of students against this proposed time change.

This makes sense given that many students, especially upperclassmen, have responsibilities and jobs outside of school, and being let out later gives them less time in their day when they can be active or working. While for some students that might not mean all too much, others need the money from their jobs so they can sustain either themselves or help sustain their families. Not all kids have two working parents who can provide for them, and some of those students have to step up and work to keep their families afloat. 

A survey was conducted to see what the students thought. Out of the 115 students surveyed, 99 were against the change. For context that’s roughly 87% of students against this proposed time change.

— John Gaspard

This doesn’t even take into account extracurricular activities, which already go on late into the evening. With rehearsal for the school musical often lasting until 7-8 p.m., sports practices lasting the same amount, and not to mention the actual games and performances that go even later into the night, these kids would never get any sleep.

Many parents also have work schedules that wouldn’t comply with the switching of times, seeing as many of them wouldn’t be off of work in time to pick up their elementary aged kids from their school. Other families rely on older siblings to pick up their siblings from school or the bus stop. Switching the times would make this impossible.

In defense of the change, it surely isn’t a malicious attempt at keeping our youth tired, hungry, stressed and underpaid, more likely it is an earnest attempt of keeping their mental health in mind by trying to give them more time in the morning to sleep in. However this clearly was not thought out for long enough, as already shown by the response to the news.

Perhaps instead of shifting the days back an hour, they could shift them forward, or shorten them entirely and just add more days to the year. If they want to make a change, more options should be considered and brainstormed before a change, or even another proposal, is made.

In conclusion this change is a good idea, and a step in the right direction by the school board in terms of trying to prioritize student health and wellness, but it needed more time in development. The board should listen to its community before switching the times.