We have had five days on and two days off since school was created.  But that was many years ago and we need a change.  School began in the United States in the 17th century and really has not changed much since then.

Even though some schools now are going for only four days a week, many are not and that needs to change.

Lakewood needs to make the change, but do it right.  While some schools do have a four-day school week, they are assigning more homework or work to be done outside of the classroom.  By doing this it defeats the whole purpose of having a shorter school week.

The purpose is to give students a break from school, a time to relax and do other things including working, training for a sport, spending time with their family, helping others and so much more.  If schools were assigning more work, then it would be as if the student were at school and not at home doing something else.

School is stressful enough with more and more state-mandated tests and graduation requirements.  Lakewood (and all of Ohio) is a prime example of this. Every year there are more requirements than the previous class had to do in order to get their diploma.

This leads to a high level of stress.

One in five teens (20%) are diagnosed as clinically depressed — not to mention all the others that don’t see doctors or get treatment.  Last year, less than 50% of students under the age of 18 received help from a doctor for a mental illness related problem.

Senior Harlan Hoegner says, “Lakewood needs to change for the sake of all the students here. Every day that goes by is one more day someone is hurting.”

These stats are concerning because if you can’t function mentally.  then you won’t be able to complete schoolwork or work to your potential.  Even though the four-day school week will only offer students one more day off of school. it will offer them a lot of time to get school off their mind for a few days and let students decompress from all the stress, anxiety and mentally draining things school does to its students.

Lakewood needs to make the change now.