From the Mouth of a High-Schooler

This opinion piece was written by a high-schooler in Lexington, North Carolina, and published in the Dispatch Online.

There’s Just Too Much Homework and Not Enough Time
Faithe Owens

Everyone spends time in school at some point in life. Some students seem to breeze through without having to study or work too hard to pass their classes. Others aren’t that lucky.

A student’s workload is born in elementary school when you have a couple of spelling words and maybe a book to read for homework. But then as you grow older and go through middle school and high school, the life of a student gets harder.

You are eventually pounded with homework, and it only gets worse as you grow closer and closer to graduation. It’s understood that the higher your grade, your classes are supposed to become more challenging. But we spend enough time at school each day. We don’t need hours and hours of homework each night on top of it.

Many of my fellow high school students who usually do very well in school are starting to struggle because there is so much homework. The workload these days is ridiculous. Students who actually do their homework spend at least two hours or more on homework each night.

Some students don’t even have time to finish all the homework assigned, which puts more pressure on students to cheat.

Students need some free time to relax and live their lives. Every day should not be strictly focused on school work.

It’s difficult to finish the tremendous amount of homework given when you participate in clubs or afterschool extracurricular activities. As an athlete, I have been up late numerous school nights trying to complete all the homework I have been assigned. Sometimes, I’m just not able to finish it all before having to get a few hours of sleep and head back to school.

There is just too much homework assigned. Educators should try to do something to better their students and give them a break. Students are in school to learn and grow educationally. Applying stress and pressure isn’t going to do anything but make students dislike school.

Schools need to loosen up and try to help their students – not hurt them.