Remember setting your alarm for school? Getting yourself up in the dark, making your lunch, walking to the bus stop as the sun came up? Maybe you got yourself an after school job to fill the hours after class? Well, for students in California, that routine is ending.
Schools in California will no longer to able to start earlier than 8:30 am due to a new law signed in to effect by governor Gavin Newsome. The Bill, named Bill 328, requires high schools to begin classes no earlier than 8:30 am and middle schools 8:00 am.
This bill was passed after two previous attempts at the legislation were struck down by lawmakers. Even though the bill was supported by the legislature, there are some who aren’t happy about it.
The California Teachers Association argued that “SB 328 could have a disproportionately negative impact on working families, particularly laborers and service industry employees who don’t have the option of starting their workday later,” says CTA spokesperson Claudia Briggs.
Concerns have also been raised over the effect this will have on after school activities and bus timetables. With junior high and high schools starting later, it could lead to primary school students starting as early as 6 am due to the staggered bus system that many schools are forced to operate.
Schools have three years to sort these issues out as the change becomes law in 2022. It is not clear yet whether any support will be offered to families who are unable to get their children to school at the later time.
Do you think this is something that will be beneficial for the kids? Or is this another case of making things too easy for people?
