Latest School Start Time Petition Gains Ground

The latest petition to change public schools to a later start time met its first goal to get 500 names with some help from some local signers.

"It is totally unnecessary to start high school @ 7AM. Instead of worring about paying for buses start worring about students well-being. How bout some lottery money to pay for additional buses?" wrote Jean Donohue of Palm Harbor who is no. 282 on the petition.

"The 7:05 start time is way to early. It should be around 8:00 instead," wrote Pattie Kuzio of Clearwater, who is name no. 211, on the petition. "That way maybe half of the kids would not be asleep in first period class."

The petition to set a national minimum start time for public high school still needs more names before being sent to the Senate, House of Representatives and the President.

"I never understood why school started so early," wrote Carole Simmons of Clearwater who is, name no. 249, on the petition. "Especially when bed time for the older kids is later due to homework, afterschool activities and some time for themselves."

, who started a , got an email from SignOn.org about starting the new petition. 

"It seemed like a shame to waste the momentum the first petition generated, and the publicity that was just starting up when the ," she posted about the second petition. 

Snider is excited the latest effort reached a goal of 500 names.

"Thanks to the many who have signed so far," Snider posted Monday (Nov. 14). "Please keep spreading the word."

Here is a link to the signon.org petition.