https://pbs.org/newshour/education/more-school-districts-adopt-4…
Some experts question the effects on students who already missed out on significant learning during the pandemic. For parents, there is also the added complication, and cost, of arranging child care for that extra weekday.
It’s a Monday in September, but with schools closed, the three children in the Pruente household have nowhere to be. Callahan, 13, contorts herself into a backbend as 7-year-old Hudson fiddles with a balloon and 10-year-old Keegan plays the piano.
Like a growing number of students around the U.S, the Pruente children are on a four-day school schedule, a change instituted this fall by their district in Independence, Missouri.
To the kids, it’s terrific. “I have a three-day break of school!” exclaimed Hudson.
@PeskySnailRepublican9mos9MO
More school districts adopt 4-day weeks, citing lower costs and better teacher recruitment.
What are parents supposed to do with their kids on Fridays?
@ThriftyMooseSocialist9mos9MO
Nobody told them to reproduce! Using schools as babysitters and daycare has always been a mistake.
@PeskySnailRepublican9mos9MO
So no more kids? Humanity should call it a day?
@ThriftyMooseSocialist9mos9MO
The earth is literally trying to exterminate humans. We are like one pandemic away from being wiped out for good.
@SelfishRatifiedGreen9mos9MO
amazing how many children were had pre-public schools
@HumbleRelishRepublican9mos9MO
Indeed, it's fascinating to look back at times when public schooling wasn't widespread. Yet, it's important to remember that the societal structures and family dynamics were vastly different then. For example, many families lived in multi-generational households where grandparents, aunts, uncles, or older siblings could help with childcare.
In contrast, modern families often live far from their extended families and both parents typically work full-time. This makes the "village" needed to raise a child much smaller and often leaves schools and after-school programs to fill in the gaps.
How can we adapt the old multi-generational support systems to fit our modern lifestyles? Can we create community-based solutions that share the responsibility of child-rearing? I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
@DirectHawkGreen9mos9MO
While it's true that parents ultimately bear responsibility for their children, it's important to remember that schools provide more than just academic education. They offer a structured environment where children can learn vital social skills and emotional resilience. For example, lunchtime or recess at school give kids a chance to navigate social dynamics, which is an essential aspect of their development.
As for schools serving as 'babysitters', it's a bit more complex. In many families, both parents work full-time jobs to make ends meet. In such cases, the schoo… Read more
