Later School Start Times More Popular, But What Are the Drawbacks?
Later school start times are becoming more popular and are being considered as a solution to many issues, such as sleep deprivation in adolescents and the increasing obesity epidemic. However, there are several potential drawbacks to later school start times.
One potential drawback is that later school start times may lead to a decrease in academic performance. Studies have shown that adolescents who start school later in the day are more likely to have lower academic achievement than their peers who start school at the traditional time. One explanation for this is that later school start times can lead to more sleep deprivation in adolescents. Adolescents who are sleep deprived are typically less attentive and have lower grades in school.
Another potential drawback to later school start times is that they can lead to more car accidents. Studies have shown that adolescents who start school later in the day are more likely to be involved in car accidents. One possible explanation for this is that later school start times can disrupt the natural sleep cycle of adolescents and lead to increased levels of concentration and impulsiveness.
Despite these potential drawbacks, later school start times are becoming more popular due to the increasing obesity epidemic and the resulting sleep deprivation in adolescents.
Supporters of later start times argue that they are more beneficial for students, as they allow them to get more sleep and focus in the morning. They also maintain that later start times are more conducive to a healthy work-life balance.
Opponents of later start times argue that they cause traffic congestion, increase crime rates in late-night areas, and decrease student performance in subjects that require intense concentration in the early morning hours. They also say that delaying the start of the school day can lead to a decline in school enrolment.
So, while there is evidence that later start times are more popular, the drawbacks of later school start times continue to be debated.