The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
A new bill, which might soon be signed by Gov. Newsom, would push middle and high school school start times to 8:30 a.m. (they couldn’t start before 8:30 a.m.)
QUESTION: Are you be in favor of schools not being able to start class before 8:30 a.m., or are you against it?
Talk about it….
52 comments
I’m a teacher and I know the California Teachers Association wants me to be against this, but I think it’s great. Research on brain development of teens suggests an even later start than 8:30 would be best.
Perhaps we should focus on the students first, rather than the interests of unions and parents’ work schedules.
@Teacher: “Perhaps we should focus on the students first, rather than the interests of unions and parents’ work schedules.”
Easier said then done. Working parents wish everyday they could focus more on their children as students, but the reality is we have to work to feed and house the students! That is a reality not a choice in the Bay Area. Perhaps we need different hours for teens than for elementary students.
Yeah, parent’s work schedules be damned.
The jobs that buy clothes, food roof for the same children.
@Concord Mom – “Perhaps we need different hours for teens than for elementary students,” the bill does target changing middle school and high school hours.
School hours should be 8:30 – 4
I think they should start at 7am and be done at 3pm.
It’s my understanding that they say this will help kids get more sleep. But if they start later, won’t they get out later? Meaning they’ll be up later? How will this give them more time to sleep? Seems like it’ll just shift their sleep schedule, not help them extend it.
I think parents need to take more responsibility and help their kids learn good time management so they can get everything done earlier in the evening. That way kids can still have a couple hours to unwind before they go to bed. And maybe teachers are giving too much homework, but I’m not sure on that.
Exactly! I’m a working mom of 2 (albeit now 18 and 21) and managed to keep my kids on a schedule–school, homework, extra curricular activities and sleep–while commuting to my job in SF five days a week. They/we survived just fine.
That’s logic Bob. You know our are California “representatives” don’t use that in their decision making process!
As said above, how do we, as parents, get them to school if we have to work? My son is in bed by 9 PM and starts at 7 AM. Works for us and he actually enjoys the schedule. He gets plenty of rest. It’s all about time management.
Again, idiocy from our elected officials! So out of touch with reality!
I would be for it, simply because most tweens/teens kids do not willingly get up early and I despise the fight (because I don’t enjoy getting up early either!)
Must be nice!
What are the start times of schools around here now.
I was going to ask the same question.
7:40am for my 2 elementary kids.
College Park HS starts at 7:50. sequoia Middle around 8. Sequoia Elementary 8:15. I don’t think much would change with these starting times.
As a teacher kids need more sleep. My concern is that they will just be out later for sports etc bc those start later. Add on homework (hs kids get HOURS) etc and they still don’t have enough hours. Teach more assign less!!
DON’T THEY KNOW PEOPLE WORK AT 5, 6, 7, 8 am???????????
Even if they brought back buses, the kids have to stay home alone until the bus comes.
They are middle school / high schoolers. These aren’t little kids. Maybe give your kids the tools to be self sufficient? When I was growing up in the 90’s, the majority of us took public transit, rode our bikes, or walked to school. My wife navigated MUNI with her brother in elementary school.
My kids start @ 8:00 and 8:15. I don’t really see how an extra 15 minutes will affect much. The rush to get them to school is just moved.
I think school should start at 8:00 a.m. It’s a normal start time for work, and the kids should be preparing themselves for the real world. If you can’t get up early, go to bed earlier. Early risers are more productive whether you’re a kid or an adult. Quit promoting laziness. It will get you nowhere in life.
No. That was all fine and well when we had School buses.
It needs to be staggered, you already have enough maniacs trying to get somewhere by 8am.
Nothing to do with laziness. If anything ~ dropping Physical education and giving a kid a ride for a 3 block walk has promoted laziness.
BAD! It is already difficult to drop the kids by 7:45-8am and commute 1 hr+ to work. This new bill will just force more working families to have to pay for morning childcare.
Any effing tart time that helps reduce morning congestion!
Can I get an Amen!?
place me in the No column
Why does the legislature think they have to pass a law for everything?
I guess they know more then every school board.
Exactly. Is it really necessary for a law to cover this?
What’s next? A law governing how many ply’s toilet paper must have in schools?
I get the reasoning behind it but there are a few reasons I question whether its helpful. First, if you’re a working parent that teen better have a car or a ride to school and be trusted to get themselves there. Second, if not, that poor kid would still be to school by 7am and waiting around for school to start (that’d be my kid if he was in HS because that’s when I drop him off now). Third, thinking back to when I was a teenager, I think that would just mean they’ll be up that much later. I think school started at 8 anyway, so its only 30 min difference, why bother? As a teen I wanted to be up around 10:30 so 8:30 vs even 7:45 isn’t really that much of a change. Seems like this is kind of wasted drama for nothing in the end.
Are HS kids not able to walk to school anymore? My mom had to leave 45 minutes before I did, and I didn’t have a car through school. You used to see a whole lot of kids walking to CVHS back then (early 1970s).
6am to 2pm would be perfect. Then get rid of day light saving while we’re making changes.
This whole argument brings me back to conversations that I would have with Mom on Saturday mornings. She would come into my room at 9:00 and open my curtains.
Mom: “Time to wake up! You’re wasting the day!”
Me: “But Mom, I’m tired!”
Mom: “If you want more sleep, then go to bed earlier.”
I hated that conversation and I never won the argument, because….
SHE WAS RIGHT!
I’ve seen the studies that starting school later is good for brain development. I’ve heard the arguments that kids stay up late because of so much homework. But these are excuses.
Stop coddling kids. Use their “tiredness” as a teaching moment. Something like, “Yes, Johhny, I understand that you are tired from staying up late but now we can learn how to budget your time so that you are getting the important things like homework and chores done, while still being able to play Fortnight and watch TV.” They will roll their eyes and mutter under their breath but you will be doing them a long-term favor.
The world will never operate under the kids’s schedule and they need to learn that.
They want the kids to be more receptive to the progressive indoctrination they receive in school. Sleep later, work less, cry more, change genders, etc, etc, etc. Don’t worry that the state will eventually implode upon itself. I’m sure that climate change will be blamed for the pension crisis.
No. How are parents going to get parking at BART if they are taking their kids that late? To hard to get parking now.
This decision belongs to the local school district. Veto the bill and let the district decide. Jerry Brown was right on this one.
Seems to me that one of the ways to help our little darlings sleep longer/better would be to reduce the number of hours spent on homework. Studies have shown that when kids have hours of homework they become robots just trying to get it done, doesn’t mean they have retained the information.
I think they should start at Noon when most teens seem to want to roll out of bed.
I am sure if first period was actually a casting call at 6:30 am they would be there bright eyed and bushy tailed.
Too bad only a handful of students aspire to become contributing members of society.
The question is, do we really need more actors or more doctors?
Why not go back to kindergarten schedule and have early birds and late birds.
Visiting China children were in school 8:00 am to 6:00 pm with 2 hour lunches. Afternoons were spent doing homework and some physical activities. No need for afternoon childcare, children were in a safe environment and the evenings were spent with family since their homework was already done. So yeah start them at 8:30 and keep them their until 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm
This would also solve our issue of having so many HS1 Visa’s being issued because our children would be at a similar education level as the rest of the world.
I’m sure that works beautifully in a place where the population is viewed as a collective rather than individuals, and the value of extracurricular activities such as after school plays, sports, etc is not recognized.
I don’t have kids and don’t plan on having any… ever. But the way the schedule is now is insane for people trying to get to work. I work 6 miles away from my house and it takes 30 MINUTES to get to work in the morning because there’s so many schools in my area all starting at the same time. And it’s definitely school traffic because during summer months there is zero traffic. School schedules should really be staggered. I remember when I was in high school the high school started at 7:20, middle school at 8:00 and grade school at 8:30. The roads were not nearly as congested. (end times were staggered as well).
Just think, you could easily commute on your bicycle. 6 Miles would take less than 30 minutes. Avoid traffic and get your exercise for free. Think about it.
For those who commute and have to start early and don’t want to leave your kids alone at home the schools should have rooms for the kids to go and wait for the start of school. Or the playground open. When I was a kid parents could trust their kids to turn out the lights and lock the doors. Guess that doesn’t work anymore.
They do. I finished highschool just over 10 years ago. When I was there, there were places for the kids to hang out. The library, cafeteria, and computer lab were open fairly early. And there’s always the option of standing around outside and talking.
Bad idea unless you have a stay at home parent in the household.
Continuation schools start around 8:45 am and most students don’t have homework. They still arrive late but they have their Starbucks coffee in their hand.
Not a big fan of this being a one-size-fits-all-decision. Let the school boards figure it out.
I think it is a good idea, at least for high schoolers, to start no earlier than 8:30, based on what I have read on the matter from researchers on adolescents’ circadian rhythms. But it seems overkill to do it for middle schoolers as well. By high school the kids should be able to take care of themselves a little more if their school schedule doesn’t exactly line up with the parents’ work schedule.
I am a teacher and I have said for years school should start at 10am. Sports practice should be in the morning.
That’s the beauty of home schooling, there are no hours! Just drive Mom crazy until her nerves are shot and she plugs you into a video or takes you to a museum……yippee!
In middle school I walked to school 1.2 miles. Rain, sun & snow
In high school I walked to school 1 mile. Rain, sun & snow
I ‘d be open to school starting later, just to shorten my commute to work. I don’t have children to transport at this time.
Many students need to budget their time better. No game playing or social media late into the night.
Absolutely not! The parents have to go to work on time end of story.
Get your kids to bed earlier.
I think someone above had the best idea i’ve heard in a long time. Do what they do for Kindergarten; early friends and late friends. When i was in school, start time was 8am. I absolutely hated it. When i was in college, i didn’t take a class before 10am. If all levels of school (elementary, middle and high) had the option of early kids and late kids, then families could choose what works best for them and their kids. This would have a few benefits, i’m sure you can think of more.
(1) accommodates different schedules for different families
(2) less school traffic, since not all kids start at the same time
(3) more jobs for more teachers, since teacher hours will have to adjust. Or more pay for teachers who work longer hours
(4) sports in morning for late kids – just like some of you adults also hit the gym in the morning
Probably more benefits to this also. Some opinions on this one?
I was brought up on:
Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
I believe that came from Benjamin Franklin.
Guess what? It worked. 👍
I swear, back in the 80’s when i went to Pine Hollow and CVHS, I’m pretty sure we started at 8
I seem to remember starting at some weird, random time like 8:10 or 8:20 AM at CVHS in the 50s. We had a short “Home Room” class before regular classes started, I think, at 8:30 AM.
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