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How true this is...Big Business won over education.

In society today, Ms. Rogers sentiments are valid. Yet, I recall some 20 years or so back when I was in high school, our Fall semester exams were AFTER Christmas break. I did not hear any heartache about this then. I believe what we are dealing with are lazy youth in society today.

Keep the system set as is....let the chips fall where they may. If a student fails, do not place all of the blame on the educator (as so often is the case). Rather, let some of the blame rest with the student! Teach responsibility.

Yet, I know that if enough students do not pass courses, then the monetary bonuses do not come. These things were unknown in the time period of my public school education. I grew up living beside an educator. He taught in the NC system for 40 years. His last year teaching he earned just under $20k while holding a Master's degree in his field. A teacher like that today teaching for 40 years would earn at least 3 times what he did.

We have devalued education, as noted by the previous person who posted. However, I do not place the entire blame for this on big business. In any situation, no one party is solely responsible or to be blamed.

Shalom

There is a fallacy that the only valuable education comes from school.

When I was young, I got a lot of valuable education from the time off we had during the summer time.

Course, this was in the days when most kids didn't go to daycare and momma stayed home. We learned how to swim, how to play, how to build stuff, all about nature, went to historical sites, etc.

Things from books can't compare to that kind of direct experience.

I feel sorry for this generation who stays in daycare until they get home and get on their playstations.

Those early years were some of the best of my life and they'll never get to experience them.

Sad, really.

nit, thanks for taking my remembrance back to a wonderful time in my life. I recall exploring the wooded area around where I lived, building things (ramps to jump with my bicycle), forts in the woods. Wow, what a wonderful thing to remember on such a beautiful day. Thanks for providing the catalyst for those memories nit!

Shalom

I also am a high school teacher (math), retired after 31 years of experience. Ms. Rogers evidently doesn't realize this is about more than tourism. She can only draw from her own experiences, as we all do, however, here are some of the things she should consider.

1. Some companies in this state mandate vacation dates, that being the first or second week of August. Some parents weren't able to take their children on any trip when school started the first week of August. Those who went anyway took their kids out of school for that week. I guarantee more will be remembered about that week than being in school. By the way, ever go in the ocean in June? Pretty cold!

2. When she leaves school on a hot August day, the first thing she probably does is turn on the air in her car. Can't do that on a school bus. Heat aggravates some medical conditions, such as asthma. Before the suggestion is made to have someone pick the student up - have you ever been near a school when it starts, or ends? The traffic congestion is a nightmare.

3. If local systems were doing such a good job of scheduling, why did school start on August 3rd in some Piedmont systems? Also, why did the parents, teachers, and others form the group at www.saveoursummers.com to put a stop to "calendar creep". It was a real possibility that some systems were trying to do a sneaky march to year-round for all grades.

4. I have taught when we didn't have EOC's, block (4-period days), and taught when we did, including exams before and after Christmas. The students are interested in celebrating the holidays and getting out for several days in December, not exams. I think the expression "visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads" is a good description of their mind set.

4. If my students didn't remember in January what I had taught in the fall, then I didn't do my job. There are review days before exams anyway, and studies have shown the exam scores are better after Christmas.

5. Study over Christmas? Too funny! So it's okay for those teachers not giving EOC's to grade exams over Christmas? Ever do that? Ever grade student tests/worksheets over Christmas break? I took papers like that home when exams were in January, but put off the grading ritual until as late as possible.

6. Dual enrollment shouldn't be given as a problem, anyway, as some administrators have said. Dual enrollment students provide their own transportation except in rare cases. They are aware of this when they sign up for the course. FYI, their tuition is free, and for some classes the books are free as well - getting college credit to boot!

It all comes down to who is in control, and who benefits from it. The teachers I've heard from absolutely hate going back to school in late July.

There are other activities such as summer camps, Boy Scout National Jamborees, and this year Governor's School ends July 28th. If school started the first week of August, these students would have only one week to recharge their batteries and get ready for their last year of high school.

I understand what her concerns are. Parents listed problem after problem when school started in the first 7-8 days of August. I just hope she can understand our position as well.