Starting High School Later: A Lost Cause, Or a Potential Possibility?
December 28, 2008 • written by Emily Beaver
What ever happened to the discussion on starting High School an hour late everyday? Well, unfortunately a decision has yet to be made, and the arguments are strong for both sides. An interview with Mr. Bach helped to shine some light on conflicting issues.
The portion of the school board that is opposed to this change has a debate based upon busing schedules. Each school (high school, junior high, and elementary) starts at a different time so that the buses can pick up every one without conflict. If the high school’s start time changed it would affect the start times of the other schools as well.
The buses cannot be at two places at once, and there is no budget to afford additional buses. This transportation conundrum has prevented the school board from taking action in response to the scientific evidence the other portion of the school board presents.
They argue that scientific studies have shown that teenagers physiologically have a difficult time staying awake. The body releases a chemical called Melatonin that tells the body to sleep, this chemical is released until 8:00 in the morning. This means that with the current schedule, kids are in first hour while their bodies are telling them that they should be sleeping.
When asked how she believed a new start time would affect her students, Mrs. Beard revealed the highs and the lows presented by this potential schedule. She expressed the hope that first hour kids would be livelier, but did not doubt that some students would not utilize the extra time. Instead would use it as an excuse to stay up later the night before.
She feels that it might raise the grade point averages of first periods but would not influence the averages of the other classes. Expanding the school day begins to conflict with after school obligations like sports, jobs, or club meetings. This may result in clubs and sports scheduling morning sessions in which to meet, consequently canceling out the benefit of sleeping in.
Presently there are students leaving class early to play in away games for sports. If school went later how many more classes will they have to miss to attend the meet on time? The students with multiple extra curricular activities will still face the same time management issues they face today, regardless of what time school begins.
Cathy, one of the hall monitors, has experience when it comes to students not coming to school on time. But she states that the time of school really has nothing to do with it, there will always be some people coming in late, no matter what time school starts.
Just like every change there will be benefits and consequences for each party involved, it is just a matter of deciding for yourself if you would overall benefit from this potential school schedule or if it would be the cause of more hassle than it is worth. This is a circumstance that will affect every one in a different way, and so in reality there is no overall right or wrong answer, but rather many individual opinions of what people feel would work best for them.
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I don’t think starting earlier would really matter. I agree with what Kathy had said. No matter what, some kids will ALWAYS be late. Plus, I don’t mind being here earlier because we get out much earlier than everyone else.
I do not wish for school to start any later. High school is to give us the tools to succeed in the world. With that understanding we cannot lower our standards because people are not able to meet them. If kids honestly think the working world starts at nine when you feel like strolling in they are in for a shock. Because if you are tardy its not a detention your fired, and instead of being in trouble at home your not making any money and have bills to pay with no cash. Suck it up, Go to school, Adapt, Survive, Win. Life is hard. Prove your with by getting up and coming to school.
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http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/12/12/sleep.teenagers.school/index.html