Dunellen High School’s official start time is 07:40, 20 minutes before the average 08:00. A quick visual sweep of one’s homeroom would unveil a slew of groggy individuals, all bemoaning the idea of a seven-hour school day. Experts recommend that teenagers get at least nine hours of sleep, a number that seems absurd. Even the average seven hours seems unachievable for some students. So should DHS open its doors an hour later? Or are there other factors to consider?
Some parents believe that if children get an extra hour meant for sleep, they will instead use it to play video games or hang out. Even those who do utilize the hour properly will not reap the full benefits. A study published by Science Advances in an article for NeaToday, “found that the students [who slept for an extra hour] on average gained an extra 34 minutes of sleep.” In reality, the average student will not be gaining an extra hour of sleep. However, even a half-hour can make all the difference in the world. A half-hour could be the deciding factor between passing or failing a test, or whether or not a fight breaks out in the halls. And no, this is not an exaggeration.
A lack of sleep can have devastating effects on a person, no matter the age. A Sleep Foundation article created by the National Sleep Foundation noted that sleep deprivation impairs one’s ability to stay alert, cope with stress, and maintain information. Those who lack sleep are also at risk of drowsy driving, emotional outbursts, and impaired cognitive ability. For students, this would mean an inability to understand concepts in class or adequately participate in activities. All of this, coupled with the instability of teenage hormones, could easily lead to poor grades and frequent quarrels with teachers and fellow students alike. If pushing back school start times can increase student productivity and decrease disruptive behavior, then why doesn’t every school push back their start times?
Though beneficial for students, later start times can present problems for both parents, school staff, and athletes. A typical workday begins between 07:00 and 08:00. For parents with children who need to be dropped off at school, the early start times line up perfectly for them. If school is pushed back even a half-hour later, then these parents will no longer be able to drop their children off and leave. The only alternative would be to force them to walk, which isn’t always a plausible option. Or parents could pay for before-care services, but their school system may not offer this, or it may be unaffordable.
Later start times will mainly affect teachers who live far from the district in which they teach. These times may affect their routes to and from home, as they will now have to factor in rush hour and any after-school responsibilities. Such responsibilities can range between providing extra help or going grocery shopping for the week, and a half-hour can disrupt an already delicate schedule.
Athletes, as well as any student who joins a club or activity, will be adversely affected by the new start times. Instead of getting home at 18:00, they will instead be home by 19:00 or even 20:00. This time is too late for most teens, and the extended days will put a severe strain on both their mental and social health. By the time these students get home, it will already be too late to start their homework, and the later start times will have done more harm than good.
So should schools push back their start times? It might make sense for small towns like Dunellen, but anywhere larger would have a hard time accommodating such a change. Instead, one should focus on decreasing the amount of work that needs to be done after school and making sure the student body is mentally and physically supported.