As you probably have seen, there is a heated debate happening in several news outlets and on-line community discussion forums about students at several Saratoga Union School District elementary and middle schools being dismissed early on Wednesdays, around Noon.
This is two hours earlier than expected. Typically it's a 2 pm dismissal on Wednesdays.
My first reaction was horror actually. First I thought, that's a Saratoga school. People pay higher housing prices for a top-notch Saratoga school education and the hours are being cut? That's awful. You'd think they'd add 30 minutes to every school day for the high housing prices and taxes.
My second thought was I feel sorry for the working parents. Many working parents struggle to get over to the school to pick up their kids at 2 or 3 pm. But noon? The parents planned their careers and work days around a later pick up. So now they may have to get daycare or go back to work at the home office earlier. This surprise may not sit well with the bosses.
I'm actually a great candidate to report on this because my son goes to a Los Gatos middle school in another school district even though we live in Saratoga. This means I have a less biased opinion.
I was absolutely fascinated with a letter to the editor of that "other" Saratoga news outlet that I read today from a student. I will paraphrase it here. It gave many reasons why early school dismissal is a great thing. She said classes went down from 40+ minutes to more like 30+ minutes and that didn't hurt learning.
I disagree. If you have less classroom time, you learn less!
She also said kids have more time for band now. She did not add that kids have more time to watch TV and play Minecraft. She did not say more kids will be by themselves unsupervised for longer periods at Saratoga library.
My son also agrees that a shorter school day is a great thing. Of course that's a child's opinion. Would you rather listen to a history lecture or play Minecraft? Actually I'd rather hear the lecture but I'm a bit older.
When my son gets out one hour early he finishes his Geometry homework in 10 minutes and then plays Minecraft and other video games for longer than he would on normal dismissal days. He has extra beyond-school activities but they have not started yet this season. I do limit video games and he reads and plays basketball as well. But I'd rather have him in school the extra hour.
I don't like that he gets out of school one hour early on Wednesdays. I think school should end at 3 pm every day. In fact some countries with school systems far superior to California's have children attend school six days a week.
What do you think of the new Wednesday noonish dismissal time?
Apparently there is a petition to fix the issue. I don't know the person who put this together but if my son was in SUSD I would sign it. Here it is.
http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-early-dismissal
In any case, good luck parents and school officials in working this out.
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