Cutting the School Week: A Child's Dream or A Parent's Nightmare
Some years ago, there was an appealing film titled Hope and Glory. It told one boy's memories of growing up in London during the blitz of World War II. In one scene depicting the warning sirens of an air raid, the children respond with glee--it means that they are getting out of class because they have to get into the bomb shelters.
Fortunately, our situation is not as bad as the devastation of a war. But many children in the United States are about to have some of their wishes fulfilled about getting out of class. The reason?
Many school boards such as those in Florida are planning to reduce classes to four days a week as a cost-saving measure. It would save schools a bundle on utility bills, diesel fuel for buses and certain other expenses. But this is possible only if state laws permit it. For example, states often require schools to be open a certain number of days a year. That automatically precludes a four-day week. So some legislators are pushing for new legislation.
The many debates around this issue generally focus on the possible detrimental effects on learning. History tells us that they are not likely to be that profound. For example, after World War II shortages of classroom space and teachers led many schools to have half-days so that each school could handle double the number of students (i.e., one group in the morning and another in the afternoon). No significant deterioration of achievement appears to have resulted.
However, this time round, there is a major effect that is going to be a nightmare for parents. Unlike the situation 60 years ago, in most families today both parents work. For many, schools--albeit unofficially--serve as the baby sitting service. What are these families to do when that service regularly is unavailable? It is one more major problem that society will have to deal with in the many problems that seem to be cropping up daily in our new turbulent world.
