Illinois should adopt a 4-day school week because there are several serious negative effects of early starting, 5-day school days that could be prevented with a shorter, later starting school day.
Coming from a student, I can see how beneficial this seems to me, but hear me out. Imagine for all students, educators, social workers, and anybody working in an educational setting, a free Friday all to yourself, with your family, friends, and dogs, at a pumpkin patch when Halloween is near. Sounds pretty neat, huh? Believe it or not, these Fridays, plus the weekend, can do more than enhance endorphins; they can also lead to positive strides in the mental health of teens.
School hours in Illinois should be pushed back to 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. due to the serious risks of early starting school times for teens.
The impact of school hours affects more than just students; it impacts teachers, parents, and all people in the educational field who follow these hours of work. To scratch the surface, teens in need of transportation to school by bus have to manage coordinating their time with bus schedules, and if not, they could disrupt their parents’ work schedules. Additionally, teachers and educators fall victim to these conditions as well. Additional labor and increased demands are a compromise that teachers will sometimes have to deal with. This could promote a lack of desire to work, fluctuating attitude, and could potentially lead them to quit a job. However, there are greater effects and impacts than just these. To get in-depth, especially for teens, they take on an increased risk of depression, sleep deprivation, poor academic performance, high rates of substance abuse, and drowsy-driving accidents. For instance, let me put you in my shoes. I am 16 years old in my Junior year of High School. Thus far, I can’t say I haven’t experienced each one of those impacts. Neither can I say that I’ve barely experienced these impacts. The truth is, effects like this are more than common for High School students, and the sad truth is that these are too great a risk to try and manage, especially for young adults.
Now, many adults and elders would argue that a greater specific amount of school hours is mandatory for a “true education,” but if “true” education comes at the price of mental wellness, then how valuable is it really? So in contrast to that viewpoint, I say that 4-day school days– Monday through Thursday– and 6-hour school days– 10-3– are not only much more effective, but also essential for maintaining good mental health for teens.
Therefore, as stated, Illinois should adopt a 4-day school week with 6-hour days to prevent accidents, bad health habits, and keep a healthy and well-supported school environment for teens.
