Back in the early 1900s, when "education" was finally brought To The Masses, it was necessary to open schools as early as possible -- say, 7 a.m.? -- so children could return home by the mid-afternoon in order to help their families on the farm. They were all farmers back then. Everyone.
But even though literally zero "family farms" have existed in America since the Carter Administration, this archaic school schedule has lasted. Adults can meander into their offices at 9 a.m., drunk, and then screw around for an hour and a half before doing any "real work," by which time their children already will have been in class for four or five hours. And high schoolers, especially, need way more sleep than most humans. Puberty and growth spurts are exhausting endeavors!
TO THE POINT -- this report posted on WTOP seems like a very good idea!
ROCKVILLE, Md. - From Burke, Va. to Bethesda, Md., students and parents haven't given up the fight to get more sleep for more high school students.
Groups in Fairfax and Montgomery counties are trying -- again -- to get a later start time for high school students.
"Waking a student at 7 a.m. is like waking an adult at 4 a.m.," says pediatrician Dr. Gordon Mella, who signed a petition to get Montgomery County schools to open one hour later at 8:25 a.m.
In Fairfax County, the group Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal, aka SLEEP, is still active.
These suburban kids are all rich "millenials" and will never have to farm, so why not?
Jim Newell writes for Wonkette and IvyGate.
