Is Four Days Enough?

The Lancaster School District, which is south of Dallas, is attempting to receive the Texas Education Agency's approval for a four-day school week. By doing so, they will save an immense amount of money, which will help make up for funding deficits in the budget. The district also believes this four-day school week will improve students' academics, as students will feel less mentally and physically drained than when enduring a five day week. I don't support this proposal, though, of the Lancaster School District because if would not be universal throughout all public schools in Texas, which I find hard to see as fair. From a student's perspective who just recently graduated high school, I know I would hate it if I was going to school five days a week and my friend only four. It also seems like it would be very hard to learn all of the required curriculum and beyond in a four-day week. Switching from five-day weeks to four days also presents problems for some parents as they will have to worry about childcare and what their children are up to on Fridays. I know as a student, I would love to have four-day weeks because it wouldn't be so draining and you'd have more free time, but I don't see how it could actually boost academics or how it's fair for one district to implement this new schedule and not all public districts in Texas. Yes, students would have more free time, but chances are it will be used for recreational purposes, not for studies. Some subjects, such as mathematics, require daily practice so one doesn't forget the material. Having school less days may also lead students to work more hours, pulling them further from academics. Lastly, if Lancaster were to go to a four-day week, would teachers in that district get paid similar amounts as those in other districts, or less since they will only work four-day weeks rather than five. Unless the district if lengthening the school year to make up for the days off from a four-day week, or having longer school days than those of a five-day week, I don't think it's fair for teachers in the Lancaster District to earn salaries as high as those in other Districts with the longer week. If we're concerned about no child being left behind, quality education for all students should be top priority, not saving a few bucks.

View the complete article at: http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/07/25/0725shortweek.html

Texas High School Steroid Testing

Last month, Texas signed into law a new Texas high school steroids testing program. This program is planned to launch in schools this fall. With the implementation of this new law, Texas would have the largest high school program for steroid testing in the country. Testing 22,000 athletes this fall, those who test positive will be suspended from their sport for 30 days. If the positive results are repeated, athletes could be permanently banned. These rules are mandated by the University Interscholastic League. Senator Kyle Janek, who originally supported the law, believing it would make high school sports much safer, now thinks the state should hold back on the new program. It was found that some over-the-counter supplements can cause positive test results. I agree with Senator Janek that there should be a hold on this new law until all glitches are fixed and it is 100% accurate without making false accusations. It would not be fair to penalize an athlete for something they possibly didn't do. Until corrected, these tests could lead to false outcomes that could ultimately affect the sports career of an aspiring professional athlete. Many people today buy supplements on the Internet, as well as over-the-counter, and their removal from sports due to inaccurate testing seems unfair. So the question is...supplements or steroids? Lets be 100% positive before we make judgment.