Clarissa's Blog

A woman from church has a daughter who started high school this year. She has to be at school at 7:15 a.m. If she wants to take the school bus, she has to be outside waiting for it at 6:05 in the morning.

Can anybody explain to me why high school has to start so early? Why can’t it start at 9 a.m.? It’s not like the children are learning much there anyway. I understand that in earlier grades, school acts in the capacity of a glorified babysitter and has to start early so that parents can get to work on time. But high schoolers can be at home alone in the mornings. They don’t need their parents there, so if the parents have to leave for work earlier, that’s not a problem. Why are teenagers tortured with these ridiculously early risings?

I know another woman from my work who also has a teenager in the same high school. Her kid is very smart, and she takes either advanced placement classes or something similar. For some reason, she has to do them before the school day begins. The poor child is up at 5:00 every morning in order to be able to make it to school on time. Lack of sleep is terrible for teenagers who have growing bodies and need adequate rest. It leads to weight gain and depression. There is no practical reason that I can see to start high school classes so early.

What am I not understanding? I ask this question in good faith, and I am very grateful when people explain the realities of the American culture with which I am unfamiliar.