Why School Should Start Later

Picture a classroom where students are not paying attention, tuning out the teacher and falling asleep. Not only are these kids losing precious opportunities to learn and expand their knowledge, they are failing to take chances that would help them achieve their future goals. Is this how a flourishing classroom should look like? Unfortunately, this is what happens every day in many schools all around the United States because kids are going to school drowsy and restless. Therefore, I believe schools should start later in the morning. With this change for the better, students can obtain a more joyous and healthier life, be successful in school, and live a more danger free life. If schools would push back their start times, students would …show more content…
According to Student Science, “16- to 18-year-old drivers in Wyoming’s Teton County School District were involved in 23 crashes during the 2011 to 2012 school year. The next year, the school shifted its start time to almost one hour later — and the number of crashes fell to seven...Other schools with later start times also saw a drop in accidents.” This evidence is significant because it points out how being a sleep deprived young adult driving to school is related to dangers with car accidents. Schools with later start times are protecting their students because their teenagers can get the right amount of sleep, causing them not to drive when they are fatigued. This is resulting in safer situations on the road for students who drive to …show more content…
The National Sleep Foundation explains “High school athletics are very important to many students who have obvious concerns about the impact of a change in start times on their ability to participate. Any delay in the start of school will most likely result in a later release time, which may reduce the time available for practice and matches (especially daylight hours)..” Though it is most likely true that if schools were to start later, they would be released later, that should not result in problems with after school activities. Practices, clubs, and other activities that take part in students lives after school can be easily rescheduled, and lights can be installed or settings can be changed if it gets too dark outside for kids to play sports or do outdoor activities. According to Dr. Bert Jacobson, professor and head of the School of Educational Studies at Oklahoma State University, "Sleep deprivation impacts us physically, which can negatively affect our coordination, agility, mood, and energy." This proves that kids who do after-school sports and other activities would benefit from later school start times because they would be less distressed and do better in their choice of activity they are participating in after school. Also, if schools would be thinking about changing start times, they should be looking at what is best for