Harris Introduces Bill To Extend School Days By Three Hours

[JustJames 1,092]

Happy to read the sane responses posted here. This is an absolutely horrifying idea and proves that the Hegelian Dialectic is in full force right now. For those unfamiliar, it breaks down to those in control manipulating public behavior through "problem > reaction > solution" techniques. In this case, the problem is overworked and overburdened working-class families who are unable to care for their children due to long working hours and salaries that have not kept up with either inflation or the evolution of "working hours" beyond 9am-5pm (fear of losing one's job has forced most into 9-10 hour days + the expectation of being available via phone/internet on "off" hours). The reaction this causes in the public is a demand that something be done to lessen the burden of these families, who cannot afford to give up $ by taking limited hours or hiring a caretaker/daycare. The solution is that by extending school hours to align with the new 'normal' working hours, families can now reduce childcare costs and burden. 

Rewind back to a time before anything other than 9-5 days and salaries that allowed for 1 parent to stay home, work limited hours, or to pay for after-school care in the form of recreation programs, after-school activties, etc., and this "solution" would be much more easily seen for what it is: an attempt at 1) further normalizing the idea that a workday for Americans is no longer 9-5, 2) further normalizing the notion that a middle-class family cannot afford to pay for care of their children, and 3) further normalizing a rapidly increasing amount of government role in the upbringing of our children. 

Leaving children in the hands of those who are receiving more and more incentive to follow a strict, regimented, government-standardized system from the time they wake up until/past dinner time means we are okay with the idea that our kids' formative days will be overseen by their parents for an average of 4 hours each 24-hour day vs. 9 by teachers who, as mentioned, are under more and more pressure to take a govt-mandated approach to education. 

TL;DR VERSION:

This is America. Every child should have access to education, which for over a century has meant ~8am-3pm or even less, that prepares them for higher education, trade schools, jobs, or whatever other path they choose after HS graduation. Every child should also have access to their parents and family, who should be able to raise their child in an environment they choose and control, infused with their culture, beliefs, morals, discipline, and love. State-controlled schooling already has its issues by trying to fit children into a limited number of boxes. Keeping them trapped in those boxes until 6pm is, as someone already noted, prison.

Family must always come before the state when it comes to raising children. We can't forget that, and as hard as it may be, we need to fight whenever possible to try and get back to 9-5 workdays, less and less expectation of responsiveness via cell phone or internet outside those hours, salaries that are fair in relation to the local economic pressures, and programs or solutions that help families spend less money and more hours with their children -- not one or the other.

[luckyanderson 379]

2 hours ago, Morphine Prince said:

School to prison pipeline? 

More like schools ARE the prisons. Ugh her mind!

 

You are my literal all-time favorite for this. 

[luckyanderson 379]

She's literally doing the opposite of what she should be for the sake of her campaign. I guess she's hoping if Warren wins she'll at least get Department of Education? I don't see Sanders welcoming her to his cabinet with her wishy-washy ways.

[Petie Estie 5,716]

it's using an existing institution to give child care to poor people. it's a unique solution...but in the end it would be better to just provide actual child care to people instead of using schools. 

[SharkmanthaC 115,081]

2 hours ago, River said:

omg until 6pm? poor kids and teachers..

@SamanthaC can you believe that you need to stay with the kids 3 more hours and after 1pm they are a bit crazy

Well I'm there until 3 with kids.

This bill forgets that teachers need time to do things after school: meetings, call parents, grade papers, lesson plans, and we still don't get it all done at school.

When I first read this bill it seemed to me that it was like she was saying after school care should be a mandated thing.  The article I read was saying that teachers would not have to stay, this is just for parents that work so they can have childcare.  Saying "school" should be longer, makes teachers seems even more like babysitters.  If this happens though, day care should be free for those children under 5 that work. 

[Lilmonzter 2,864]

Bad policy 

 She's supposedly a clever prosecutor 

[Seeka 12,372]

People are already afraid to send their children to schools for the fear of a shooting. Extending a school day by 3 hours multiplies that fear. That's three more hours for shooting to start. 

I can see what she has. A good concept. But her execution would be poor and send people to search for alternative schools. Like Montessori schools or maybe boarding schools. 

[Whispering 18,865]

Shortening the workday would be a much more elegant solution but that’s unlikely to happen.

Did anyone actually read what this policy was about?

The bill she is pushing specifically targets low income communities and would provide funding to keep schools open for 3 hours while funding more extracurricular and academic activities. It's a bill to give students the option for a productive place to be after classes are over and to help alleviate childcare bills on working parents.

Teachers wouldn't be required to work extra hours, the students wouldn't be in class for three extra hours, they'd be doing after school activities. This could be good for kids with parents that work long hours because they'd be involved in meaningful after school activities instead of being home alone or roaming the streets.

All the bill does is provide grant money for schools to develop or enhance their own afterschool programs. 

[HorusRa2 5,005]

This isn’t a good solution. It’s a bandaid to a larger issue of the conditions for the American worker. 

Also for those who doubt whether a 32 hour work week is possible or not: 

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheilacallaham/2019/05/24/company-strategy-32-hour-work-week-increases-employee-productivity-collaboration/

I’m still trying to find the article I read that explained that worker productivity has increased so much over time we could still achieve productivity levels of decades past with an even lower work week than 32 hours. Instead, a capitalist society continues to cry for increased productivity while keep wages stagnant and increasing prices. Not to mention salaried workers like teachers and myself (accountant) often work more than a 40 hour work week and get paid zero overtime. And yet people wonder why the people of this country want Medicare for All, Student debt cancellation for All, Medical Debt cancellation for All, universal childcare (which would help said issue Harris was trying to alleviate with this policy), $15 min wage and the list goes on. The people of this country deserve better than what is happening now and they deserve better than this policy proposal. 

[HeavyyMetalVenuss 1,765]

teachers are there to educate your kids, not babysit them  and how about the teenagers that want jobs, or kids in general that want a social life or hobbies outside of class?

make this b*tch sit in common core classes for 10 hours and see how fast her idea would change, or better yet have her teach these kids for that long with grading the classwork on top of it 

at least give these teachers a wage raise first, they deserve it more than the mcdonald’s workers wanting $15 an hour

[Godorhe 0]

It seems to me that this bill cannot be considered on only one side. But it was definitely worth presenting it with more specific numbers and dates. But the help of https://ukessay.com/law-essay-help would not hurt me to properly understand this issue. Not only one law essay would be enough to clarify all the nuances, but at least something. So far this only looks like an additional burden for schools and it is not clear how effective these 3 hours will be for children, and even more so how much they will be required.

[Economy 52,928]

Better cut put all homework then and even then

 

In Portugal where i used to live many school districts go past 5pm tho

[Godorhe 0]

On 11/13/2019 at 3:42 PM, Godorhe said:

It seems 

 

[Whispering 18,865]

 

Nvm, this is from November 

 

[Reginald 13,841]

This thread said "Surprise, bitch! I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me."