It seems like a pretty generic idea that all high schoolers simply don’t get enough sleep. This widely accepted rule of thumb isn’t the latest phenomenon, so why hasn’t there been much interest in a solution to this predicament by school districts?

According to Marie Anderson of Synonym.com, starting school before 8:00 am leaves more room for after-school activities and jobs as well as save money for the school. Anderson’s argument entails sporting activities that practice outdoors and need the daylight. Students also walk home in the daylight for safety.

Transportation is also a big factor in why schools start early. Anderson states “Suffolk Public Schools in Virginia estimates that by starting some campuses at 7:25 a.m. they will be able to save around $680,000 a year.” This is clear incentive to start school early because schools are constantly losing funding from local state and city governments.

Although Anderson brings up some good points, the overall health of my generation is being threatened by early school start times. As quoted by National Public Radio (NPR), Anne Wheaton states “Among adolescents, insufficient sleep has been associated with adverse risk behaviors, poor health outcomes and poor academic performance.” This leads me to my argument which is in agreeance with later school times.

“You are here to learn.” is probably one of the most popular phrases in the teaching vernacular. I absolutely agree this statement, that is the purpose of school system. However, when we are deprived of sleep and placed in class, are we really learning? According to Wheaton, we aren’t. Not only does sleep deprivation affect our academic performance, it is also the root to many common teen problems like drinking, car crashes, obesity, depression, and smoking.

“The average teenager can’t fall asleep at 11.” Dr. Judith Owens, a sleep researcher at Children’s National Medical Center. According to NPR journalist Nancy Shute, a teenager’s sleep-wake cycle shifts two hours from their childhood sleep-wake cycle, making it difficult to go to sleep before 10:30 p.m. Starting school before 8:00 am would leave most high schoolers with less than the recommended 81/2 – 91/2 hours.

I think that our school district should take into consideration our overall health as students, especially our area academy students who must wake up at the crack of dawn to catch the bus. What do you think about this controversial issue? Would you rather wake up before the sun or hit the the snooze button?

Anderson, M. (n.d.). What Is the Advantage of Having School Start Early? | The Classroom | Synonym. Retrieved October 11, 2015.

Harris, R. (2015, August 6). States Haven’t Embraced Later School Start Times For Teens. Retrieved October 11, 2015.