Thursday, August 5, 2010

The School Year Has Begun

Here we are, the second day of school, and already the kids are getting out early. Why? Because of the high heat index, of course! And why is the heat index so high? Because it's August!

Top of the summer season! Back when Pebbles, Bam-Bam and I went to school, the year started in the LAST week of August (or first week of September) and ran through June.

Still does in a large majority of the states of this great Republic. When we first moved here in August of '03 school had been in session for a week already. I thought that was nuts! Who starts school in the middle of summer?

Over the last couple of years the beginning of school has been daunted by the high heat. Missed days due to A/C units that needed repairs, class "trailers" that were not equipped with A/C being too hot to hold classes in, other heat related problems that needed to be corrected that interrupted the beginning of the school year.

It's my understanding that the kitchen A/C unit at Ethridge Elementary is broken and these poor women are going to be cooking and washing dishes with no relief. This does not make sense!

School Board members, it's time to stop this foolishness. Push the school year back. Next year, change the school schedule to begin at the end of August and end in June.

They can still go the required 180 days (which is 20 days too many, since at least 10 days out of the year my children come home to tell me that they spent a day watching Disney videos or some other movies, but that's another commentary altogether...)!

The weather patterns of our world are changing. According to scientists, the heat is only going to get worse in upcoming years. It's time now to re-evaluate what's habit and what's necessity.

Not to mention the fact that you mess up summer vacation plans by starting school half way through the summer. Get with the rest of the country, folks.

Needing to help Pa plant the back forty acres doesn't apply anymore.,

G.L. Childress

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