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Dream come true for Herriman students: Schools ban homework

by Ginna Roe

Butterfield Canyon and Bastian Elementary schools, in Herriman, have officially banned homework. (Photo: KUTV)

HERRIMAN, Utah (KUTV) — It’s every kid’s dream, and now it’s a reality in two Herriman schools.

Butterfield Canyon and Bastian Elementary schools officially banned homework.

That’s right. No essays, no home projects. Teachers cannot send any work home with students.

Of course, students love the policy that went into effect at the beginning of the school year.

“Everybody was cheering like, 'Yeah!' said Kestler Hagan, a fifth-grader at Butterfield Canyon Elementary School.

But pleasing students is not the reason behind the homework ban.

“I do think it’s a bold move for a school, and it is a big change and a huge mind shift,” said Amanda Bollinger, principal at Butterfield Canyon.

She pointed to research from John Hattie, a professor and education researcher at the University of Melbourne, Australia. According to his findings, homework does not improve learning for elementary students. Bollinger said at her school, it’s proven to increase stress on students.

“Our referrals for anxiety to our school psychologist have actually reduced by more than 50% in the last year since we started no homework,” Bollinger said.

“It’s definitely been less stressful,” Hagan agreed.

Not all parents support the change.

“Some parents have absolutely loved it and noticed a huge difference and others parents that prefer to be more regimented,” Bollinger said.

Janet Hall, a third grade teacher at Butterfield Canyon, said the "No Homework" policy was an adjustment for teachers, too.

“If they don’t finish work at school, part of me would love to send it home because then I have to take the time during my day to help them get caught up and finish,” she said.

Now she makes a real effort to make every minute in the classroom count.

“I haven’t noticed any difference in my kids' academic performance,” Hall said.

“What it comes down to is, we really have to do what’s best for kids,” Bollinger added.

is homework banned in utah

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Should We Ban Homework?

The cons of homework are starting to outweigh the pros.

Should Schools Ban Homework

Recent research shows that teenagers have doubled the amount of time they spend on homework since the 1990s. This is in spite of other, well-documented research that calls the efficacy of homework into question, albeit in the younger grades. Why are students spending so much time on homework if the impact is zero (for younger kids) or moderate (for older ones)? Should we ban homework? These are the questions teachers, parents, and lawmakers are asking.

Bans proposed and implemented in the U.S. and abroad

The struggle of whether or not to assign homework is not a new one. In 2017, a Florida superintendent banned homework for elementary schools in the entire district, with one very important exception: reading at home. The United States isn’t the only country to question the benefits of homework. Last August, the Philippines proposed a bill  to ban homework completely, citing the need for rest, relaxation, and time with family. Another bill there proposed no weekend homework, with teachers running the risk of fines or two years in prison. (Yikes!) While a prison sentence may seem extreme, there are real reasons to reconsider homework.

Refocus on mental health and educate the “whole child”

Prioritizing mental health is at the forefront of the homework ban movement. Leaders say they want to give students time to develop other hobbies, relationships, and balance in their lives.

This month two Utah elementary schools gained national recognition for officially banning homework. The results are significant, with psychologist referrals for anxiety decreasing by 50 percent. Many schools are looking for ways to refocus on wellness, and homework can be a real cause of stress.

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Research supports a ban for elementary schools

Supporters of a homework ban often cite research from John Hattie, who concluded that elementary school homework has no effect on academic progress. In a podcast he said, “Homework in primary school has an effect of around zero. In high school it’s larger. (…) Which is why we need to get it right. Not why we need to get rid of it. It’s one of those lower hanging fruit that we should be looking in our primary schools to say, ‘Is it really making a difference?'”

In the upper grades, Hattie’s research shows that homework has to be purposeful, not busy work. And the reality is, most teachers don’t receive training on how to assign homework that is meaningful and relevant to students.

Parents push back, too

In October this Washington Post article made waves in parenting and education communities when it introduced the idea that, even if homework is assigned, it doesn’t have to be completed for the student to pass the class. The writer explains how her family doesn’t believe in homework, and doesn’t participate. In response, other parents started “opting out” of homework, citing research that homework in elementary school doesn’t further intelligence or academic success. 

Of course, homework has its defenders, especially in the upper grades

“I think some homework is a good idea,” says Darla E. in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. “Ideally, it forces the parents to take some responsibility for their child’s education. It also reinforces what students learn and instills good study habits for later in life.”

Jennifer M. agrees. “If we are trying to make students college-ready, they need the skill of doing homework.”

And the research does support some homework in middle and high school, as long as it is clearly tied to learning and not overwhelming.

We’d love to hear your thoughts—do you think schools should ban homework? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, why you should stop assigning reading homework.

Should We Ban Homework?

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Some elementary schools in Utah no longer assigning homework

is homework banned in utah

HERRIMAN, Utah — It's a growing trend across the nation: more elementary schools are moving away from homework.

Two elementary schools in Herriman, Utah — Butterfield Canyon and Bastian — have decided to get rid of homework this school year.

The principal of Butterfield Canyon Elementary School principal said it wasn't a quick decision. A few years back, a previous school superintendent shared some research from John Hattie, who argues that homework for elementary school students is not effective.

“When there is research to show that homework is not effective, it’s a practice that we need to leave behind," principal Amanda Bollinger said.

She first started talking to her teachers about the idea last school year, but finally decided to fully implement the no-homework policy for the 2019-2020 school year.

In terms of academics, they haven't seen any sort of negative impacts to students' performance, Bollinger said. In fact, third-grade teacher Janet Hall said she has seen her students work harder and smarter.

"I am seeing them more focused on what they are doing at school. They know the importance of staying on task and learning here," she said.

It's been an adjustment, Hall admits — although she was never one to hand out loads of homework.

“I always said anything that the kids don’t finish in class would be sent home as homework, and now I don’t get to do that," she said.

Where the no-homework policy has been most beneficial is with students' mental health, Bollinger said.

“We’ve actually had a reduction by about 50 percent in anxiety referrals to our school physiologist," she said.

Not everyone has been on board, Bolinger said, but most are in support.

The hope is that students will use this time to play outside, read more, eat dinner with their family and get to bed early.

"Hopefully parents are taking advantage of the time to teach their kids life skills and things that will really benefit them, more than writing their spelling words five times," Hall said.

Students are still asked to read 20 minutes every night.

This story was originally published by Sydney Glenn at KSTU.

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Homework is now banned at some utah schools.

Butterfield Canyon and Bastian Elementary schools in Utah have officially banned homework.

No you are not dreaming, this is really happening!

Of course, students love the policy that went into effect at the beginning of the school year.

But pleasing students is not the reason behind the homework ban.

The school's referenced research from John Hattie, a professor and education researcher at the University of Melbourne, Australia. According to his findings, homework does not improve learning for elementary students. Bollinger said at her school, it's proven to increase stress on students.

Of course, not all parents support the change with some saying that homework helps enforce a regimen.

What do you think?

Source: Local 12

Photo: Getty Images

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Student Opinion

Should We Get Rid of Homework?

Some educators are pushing to get rid of homework. Would that be a good thing?

is homework banned in utah

By Jeremy Engle and Michael Gonchar

Do you like doing homework? Do you think it has benefited you educationally?

Has homework ever helped you practice a difficult skill — in math, for example — until you mastered it? Has it helped you learn new concepts in history or science? Has it helped to teach you life skills, such as independence and responsibility? Or, have you had a more negative experience with homework? Does it stress you out, numb your brain from busywork or actually make you fall behind in your classes?

Should we get rid of homework?

In “ The Movement to End Homework Is Wrong, ” published in July, the Times Opinion writer Jay Caspian Kang argues that homework may be imperfect, but it still serves an important purpose in school. The essay begins:

Do students really need to do their homework? As a parent and a former teacher, I have been pondering this question for quite a long time. The teacher side of me can acknowledge that there were assignments I gave out to my students that probably had little to no academic value. But I also imagine that some of my students never would have done their basic reading if they hadn’t been trained to complete expected assignments, which would have made the task of teaching an English class nearly impossible. As a parent, I would rather my daughter not get stuck doing the sort of pointless homework I would occasionally assign, but I also think there’s a lot of value in saying, “Hey, a lot of work you’re going to end up doing in your life is pointless, so why not just get used to it?” I certainly am not the only person wondering about the value of homework. Recently, the sociologist Jessica McCrory Calarco and the mathematics education scholars Ilana Horn and Grace Chen published a paper, “ You Need to Be More Responsible: The Myth of Meritocracy and Teachers’ Accounts of Homework Inequalities .” They argued that while there’s some evidence that homework might help students learn, it also exacerbates inequalities and reinforces what they call the “meritocratic” narrative that says kids who do well in school do so because of “individual competence, effort and responsibility.” The authors believe this meritocratic narrative is a myth and that homework — math homework in particular — further entrenches the myth in the minds of teachers and their students. Calarco, Horn and Chen write, “Research has highlighted inequalities in students’ homework production and linked those inequalities to differences in students’ home lives and in the support students’ families can provide.”

Mr. Kang argues:

But there’s a defense of homework that doesn’t really have much to do with class mobility, equality or any sense of reinforcing the notion of meritocracy. It’s one that became quite clear to me when I was a teacher: Kids need to learn how to practice things. Homework, in many cases, is the only ritualized thing they have to do every day. Even if we could perfectly equalize opportunity in school and empower all students not to be encumbered by the weight of their socioeconomic status or ethnicity, I’m not sure what good it would do if the kids didn’t know how to do something relentlessly, over and over again, until they perfected it. Most teachers know that type of progress is very difficult to achieve inside the classroom, regardless of a student’s background, which is why, I imagine, Calarco, Horn and Chen found that most teachers weren’t thinking in a structural inequalities frame. Holistic ideas of education, in which learning is emphasized and students can explore concepts and ideas, are largely for the types of kids who don’t need to worry about class mobility. A defense of rote practice through homework might seem revanchist at this moment, but if we truly believe that schools should teach children lessons that fall outside the meritocracy, I can’t think of one that matters more than the simple satisfaction of mastering something that you were once bad at. That takes homework and the acknowledgment that sometimes a student can get a question wrong and, with proper instruction, eventually get it right.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Should we get rid of homework? Why, or why not?

Is homework an outdated, ineffective or counterproductive tool for learning? Do you agree with the authors of the paper that homework is harmful and worsens inequalities that exist between students’ home circumstances?

Or do you agree with Mr. Kang that homework still has real educational value?

When you get home after school, how much homework will you do? Do you think the amount is appropriate, too much or too little? Is homework, including the projects and writing assignments you do at home, an important part of your learning experience? Or, in your opinion, is it not a good use of time? Explain.

In these letters to the editor , one reader makes a distinction between elementary school and high school:

Homework’s value is unclear for younger students. But by high school and college, homework is absolutely essential for any student who wishes to excel. There simply isn’t time to digest Dostoyevsky if you only ever read him in class.

What do you think? How much does grade level matter when discussing the value of homework?

Is there a way to make homework more effective?

If you were a teacher, would you assign homework? What kind of assignments would you give and why?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

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Utah Legislature OKs bill making it easier to ban ‘indecent’ books in schools statewide

By katie mckellar - utah news dispatch | feb 21, 2024.

is homework banned in utah

Illustration by Alex Cochran for Utah News Dispatch

The Utah Legislature has approved a bill expanding on a 2022 law that allows parents to challenge “sensitive materials” in schools, making it easier to prohibit “criminally indecent or pornographic” books statewide if they’re banned in a handful of school districts or charter schools.

The Utah House on Wednesday voted  52-18 , mostly along party lines, to give final legislative approval to  HB29 . It now goes to Gov. Spencer Cox.

The final vote came after its sponsor, Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, struck a deal with the Senate on Tuesday, altering the bill to temper it from an earlier version that would have automatically banned a book statewide if at least three school districts or at least two school districts and five charter schools determined it contained “objective sensitive material,” or “criminally indecent or pornographic” content.

The bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, changed the bill in the Senate to allow school boards to individually hold public hearings to decide whether to keep a book in their schools before a statewide ban would take effect. It was a change that Ivory said “just defeats the purpose” of the bill, which is to create “uniformity” across schools, when he asked the House to reject the Senate’s version.

Tuesday, Ivory and Weiler met during a conference committee to hash out a deal: Instead of allowing individual school boards to vote on whether to keep or ban a book after an automatic statewide ban is initiated, the Utah State Board of Education would be able to vote on whether to override that ban.

“We were trying to preserve local authority” in the Senate version of the bill, Weiler said, but he reached a compromise with Ivory to give that final decision on a statewide ban to the state school board.

Ivory — who along with a group of parent activists has been trying for several years now to ban “pornographic” books and materials in schools — agreed.

“We’ve got it in good shape,” Ivory told the House. “We’ve got both clarity and uniformity that was the whole purpose of the bill.”

Democrats opposed  HB29 , arguing that it gives too much power to a handful of school boards to ban books statewide while standards may vary from community to community.

“This is the antithesis of local control,” Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, who has worked as a teacher, said on the House floor on Jan. 30 while arguing against the bill. “With this bill, just a couple of individuals can take away the rights of parents statewide to make choices that best fit their children’s needs.”

That was before the Senate changes, but Moss again voted against the bill Wednesday. She also argued the bill goes too far to allow government censorship of books based on subjective interpretations.

She said schools already have a process to weigh books “as a whole” when considering whether they have scientific, literary or artistic value — a standard Ivory pointed to when an unnamed person challenged the Bible in Davis School District in protest of Ivory’s 2022 “sensitive materials” bill that paved the way for book challenges.

“This long standing legal standard should be applied to all books being considered for removal, not whether they fit an ‘objective’ or ‘subjective’ standard,” Moss said of the definitions included in Ivory’s latest bill. “They’re both subjective.”

Utah made national headlines last year when Davis School District, adhering to the 2022 law,  pulled the Bible amid the challenge , but weeks later returned it to middle school and elementary school shelves in response to 70 appeals. Ivory said at the time the  challenge was a “mockery”  and Utah would need to revise its law.

If this year’s bill passes, Moss said, “I hope it will end the criminalizing of librarians,” accusing the activist parents Ivory has worked with of telling “parents to call the police if a librarian doesn’t immediately remove a challenged book.”

“Picture that,” Moss said. “Police going into a school library and arresting a sweet little elementary school librarian.”

Moss urged lawmakers to “respect the professionalism of our school librarians and our teachers and return to a book removal process that lets a local school district, parents and elected school board members to make decisions on library books and instructional materials that best fit their students.”

“Parents can and should be the ones who monitor their children’s reading — not the government,” Moss said.

Ivory argued that’s what he’s trying to accomplish — to empower parents to prevent their kids from being exposed to “indecent or pornographic” books.

“This bill does that,” he said. “It respects the rights of parents to keep and protect their children from pornographic images at public school that they’re compelled to go to.”

Ivory also argued his bill doesn’t “ban books,” because it still allows those books to be sold and purchased in the private sector.

“It respects the rights of parents that want to go to Amazon or go to the bookstore, Barnes & Noble, and buy any of these books for their children if they wish,” he said. “This is not a book ban, as some hyperbolize. This (sets) age appropriate limits on content for children.”

Ivory said some of the books contain such graphic content that he’s been told by legislative attorneys he can’t read or distribute them on the House floor.

“It’s material that — I didn’t lead a sheltered life growing up — but I didn’t realize there were sexual things like these things that are described in these books,” Ivory said. “There are descriptions and graphic depictions of sexual acts and sexual things that I didn’t even know were things.”

In a House committee last month,  Ivory was cut off by a point of order  while trying to read a sexually descriptive passage from a book written by fantasy fiction author Sarah J. Maas.

“It’s time that we stand for the good and the clean and the pure and the powerful and the positive for our children, because that’s why we have public school,” Ivory said.

Utah News Dispatch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news source covering government, policy and the issues most impacting the lives of Utahns.

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The end of homework? Why some schools are banning homework

Fed up with the tension over homework, some schools are opting out altogether.

No-homework policies are popping up all over, including schools in the U.S., where the shift to the Common Core curriculum is prompting educators to rethink how students spend their time.

“Homework really is a black hole,” said Etta Kralovec, an associate professor of teacher education at the University of Arizona South and co-author of “The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning.”

“I think teachers are going to be increasingly interested in having total control over student learning during the class day and not relying on homework as any kind of activity that’s going to support student learning.”

College de Saint-Ambroise, an elementary school in Quebec, is the latest school to ban homework, announcing this week that it would try the new policy for a year. The decision came after officials found that it was “becoming more and more difficult” for children to devote time to all the assignments they were bringing home, Marie-Ève Desrosiers, a spokeswoman with the Jonquière School Board, told the CBC .

Kralovec called the ban on homework a movement, though she estimated just a small handful of schools in the U.S. have such policies.

Gaithersburg Elementary School in Rockville, Maryland, is one of them, eliminating the traditional concept of homework in 2012. The policy is still in place and working fine, Principal Stephanie Brant told TODAY Parents. The school simply asks that students read 30 minutes each night.

“We felt like with the shift to the Common Core curriculum, and our knowledge of how our students need to think differently… we wanted their time to be spent in meaningful ways,” Brant said.

“We’re constantly asking parents for feedback… and everyone’s really happy with it so far. But it’s really a culture shift.”

Father helping daughter with homework

It was a decision that was best for her community, Brant said, adding that she often gets phone calls from other principals inquiring how it’s working out.

The VanDamme Academy, a private K-8 school in Aliso Viejo, California, has a similar policy , calling homework “largely pointless.”

The Buffalo Academy of Scholars, a private school in Buffalo, New York, touts that it has called “a truce in the homework battle” and promises that families can “enjoy stress-free, homework-free evenings and more quality time together at home.”

Some schools have taken yet another approach. At Ridgewood High School in Norridge, Illinois, teachers do assign homework but it doesn’t count towards a student’s final grade.

Many schools in the U.S. have toyed with the idea of opting out of homework, but end up changing nothing because it is such a contentious issue among parents, Kralovec noted.

“There’s a huge philosophical divide between parents who want their kids to be very scheduled, very driven, and very ambitiously focused at school -- those parents want their kids to do homework,” she said.

“And then there are the parents who want a more child-centered life with their kids, who want their kids to be able to explore different aspects of themselves, who think their kids should have free time.”

So what’s the right amount of time to spend on homework?

National PTA spokeswoman Heidi May pointed to the organization’s “ 10 minute rule ,” which recommends kids spend about 10 minutes on homework per night for every year they’re in school. That would mean 10 minutes for a first-grader and an hour for a child in the sixth grade.

But many parents say their kids must spend much longer on their assignments. Last year, a New York dad tried to do his eight-grader’s homework for a week and it took him at least three hours on most nights.

More than 80 percent of respondents in a TODAY.com poll complained kids have too much homework. For homework critics like Kralovec, who said research shows homework has little value at the elementary and middle school level, the issue is simple.

“Kids are at school 7 or 8 hours a day, that’s a full working day and why should they have to take work home?” she asked.

Follow A. Pawlowski on Google+ and Twitter .

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Why I Think All Schools Should Abolish Homework

Two brothers work on laptop computers at home

H ow long is your child’s workweek? Thirty hours? Forty? Would it surprise you to learn that some elementary school kids have workweeks comparable to adults’ schedules? For most children, mandatory homework assignments push their workweek far beyond the school day and deep into what any other laborers would consider overtime. Even without sports or music or other school-sponsored extracurriculars, the daily homework slog keeps many students on the clock as long as lawyers, teachers, medical residents, truck drivers and other overworked adults. Is it any wonder that,deprived of the labor protections that we provide adults, our kids are suffering an epidemic of disengagement, anxiety and depression ?

With my youngest child just months away from finishing high school, I’m remembering all the needless misery and missed opportunities all three of my kids suffered because of their endless assignments. When my daughters were in middle school, I would urge them into bed before midnight and then find them clandestinely studying under the covers with a flashlight. We cut back on their activities but still found ourselves stuck in a system on overdrive, returning home from hectic days at 6 p.m. only to face hours more of homework. Now, even as a senior with a moderate course load, my son, Zak, has spent many weekends studying, finding little time for the exercise and fresh air essential to his well-being. Week after week, and without any extracurriculars, Zak logs a lot more than the 40 hours adults traditionally work each week — and with no recognition from his “bosses” that it’s too much. I can’t count the number of shared evenings, weekend outings and dinners that our family has missed and will never get back.

How much after-school time should our schools really own?

In the midst of the madness last fall, Zak said to me, “I feel like I’m working towards my death. The constant demands on my time since 5th grade are just going to continue through graduation, into college, and then into my job. It’s like I’m on an endless treadmill with no time for living.”

My spirit crumbled along with his.

Like Zak, many people are now questioning the point of putting so much demand on children and teens that they become thinly stretched and overworked. Studies have long shown that there is no academic benefit to high school homework that consumes more than a modest number of hours each week. In a study of high schoolers conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), researchers concluded that “after around four hours of homework per week, the additional time invested in homework has a negligible impact on performance.”

In elementary school, where we often assign overtime even to the youngest children, studies have shown there’s no academic benefit to any amount of homework at all.

Our unquestioned acceptance of homework also flies in the face of all we know about human health, brain function and learning. Brain scientists know that rest and exercise are essential to good health and real learning . Even top adult professionals in specialized fields take care to limit their work to concentrated periods of focus. A landmark study of how humans develop expertise found that elite musicians, scientists and athletes do their most productive work only about four hours per day .

Yet we continue to overwork our children, depriving them of the chance to cultivate health and learn deeply, burdening them with an imbalance of sedentary, academic tasks. American high school students , in fact, do more homework each week than their peers in the average country in the OECD, a 2014 report found.

It’s time for an uprising.

Already, small rebellions are starting. High schools in Ridgewood, N.J. , and Fairfax County, Va., among others, have banned homework over school breaks. The entire second grade at Taylor Elementary School in Arlington, Va., abolished homework this academic year. Burton Valley Elementary School in Lafayette, Calif., has eliminated homework in grades K through 4. Henry West Laboratory School , a public K-8 school in Coral Gables, Fla., eliminated mandatory, graded homework for optional assignments. One Lexington, Mass., elementary school is piloting a homework-free year, replacing it with reading for pleasure.

More from TIME

Across the Atlantic, students in Spain launched a national strike against excessive assignments in November. And a second-grade teacher in Texas, made headlines this fall when she quit sending home extra work , instead urging families to “spend your evenings doing things that are proven to correlate with student success. Eat dinner as a family, read together, play outside and get your child to bed early.”

It is time that we call loudly for a clear and simple change: a workweek limit for children, counting time on the clock before and after the final bell. Why should schools extend their authority far beyond the boundaries of campus, dictating activities in our homes in the hours that belong to families? An all-out ban on after-school assignments would be optimal. Short of that, we can at least sensibly agree on a cap limiting kids to a 40-hour workweek — and fewer hours for younger children.

Resistance even to this reasonable limit will be rife. Mike Miller, an English teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., found this out firsthand when he spearheaded a homework committee to rethink the usual approach. He had read the education research and found a forgotten policy on the county books limiting homework to two hours a night, total, including all classes. “I thought it would be a slam dunk” to put the two-hour cap firmly in place, Miller said.

But immediately, people started balking. “There was a lot of fear in the community,” Miller said. “It’s like jumping off a high dive with your kids’ future. If we reduce homework to two hours or less, is my kid really going to be okay?” In the end, the committee only agreed to a homework ban over school breaks.

Miller’s response is a great model for us all. He decided to limit assignments in his own class to 20 minutes a night (the most allowed for a student with six classes to hit the two-hour max). His students didn’t suddenly fail. Their test scores remained stable. And they started using their more breathable schedule to do more creative, thoughtful work.

That’s the way we will get to a sane work schedule for kids: by simultaneously pursuing changes big and small. Even as we collaboratively press for policy changes at the district or individual school level, all teachers can act now, as individuals, to ease the strain on overworked kids.

As parents and students, we can also organize to make homework the exception rather than the rule. We can insist that every family, teacher and student be allowed to opt out of assignments without penalty to make room for important activities, and we can seek changes that shift practice exercises and assignments into the actual school day.

We’ll know our work is done only when Zak and every other child can clock out, eat dinner, sleep well and stay healthy — the very things needed to engage and learn deeply. That’s the basic standard the law applies to working adults. Let’s do the same for our kids.

Vicki Abeles is the author of the bestseller Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation, and director and producer of the documentaries “ Race to Nowhere ” and “ Beyond Measure. ”

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15 Should Homework Be Banned Pros and Cons

Homework was a staple of the public and private schooling experience for many of us growing up. There were long nights spent on book reports, science projects, and all of those repetitive math sheets. In many ways, it felt like an inevitable part of the educational experience. Unless you could power through all of your assignments during your free time in class, then there was going to be time spent at home working on specific subjects.

More schools are looking at the idea of banning homework from the modern educational experience. Instead of sending work home with students each night, they are finding alternative ways to ensure that each student can understand the curriculum without involving the uncertainty of parental involvement.

Although banning homework might seem like an unorthodox process, there are legitimate advantages to consider with this effort. There are some disadvantages which some families may encounter as well.

These are the updated lists of the pros and cons of banning homework to review.

List of the Pros of Banning Homework

1. Giving homework to students does not always improve their academic outcomes. The reality of homework for the modern student is that we do not know if it is helpful to have extra work assigned to them outside of the classroom. Every study that has looked at the subject has had design flaws which causes the data collected to be questionable at best. Although there is some information to suggest that students in seventh grade and higher can benefit from limited homework, banning it for students younger than that seems to be beneficial for their learning experience.

2. Banning homework can reduce burnout issues with students. Teachers are seeing homework stress occur in the classroom more frequently today than ever before. Almost half of all high school teachers in North America have seen this issue with their students at some point during the year. About 25% of grade school teachers say that they have seen the same thing.

When students are dealing with the impact of homework on their lives, it can have a tremendously adverse impact. One of the most cited reasons for students dropping out of school is that they cannot complete their homework on time.

3. Banning homework would increase the amount of family time available to students. Homework creates a significant disruption to family relationships. Over half of all parents in North America say that they have had a significant argument with their children over homework in the past month. 1/3 of families say that homework is their primary source of struggle in the home. Not only does it reduce the amount of time that everyone has to spend together, it reduces the chances that parents have to teach their own skills and belief systems to their kids.

4. It reduces the negative impact of homework on the health of a student. Many students suffer academically when they cannot finish a homework assignment on time. Although assumptions are often made about the time management skills of the individual when this outcome occurs, the reasons why it happens is usually more complex. It may be too difficult, too boring, or there may not be enough time in the day to complete the work.

When students experience failure in this area, it can lead to severe mental health issues. Some perceive themselves as a scholarly failure, which translates to an inability to live life successfully. It can disrupt a desire to learn. There is even an increased risk of suicide for some youth because of this issue. Banning it would reduce these risks immediately.

5. Eliminating homework would allow for an established sleep cycle. The average high school student requires between 8-10 hours of sleep to function at their best the next day. Grade-school students may require an extra hour or two beyond that figure. When teachers assign homework, then it increases the risk for each individual that they will not receive the amount that they require each night.

When children do not get enough sleep, a significant rest deficit occurs which can impact their ability to pay attention in school. It can cause unintended weight gain. There may even be issues with emotional control. Banning homework would help to reduce these risks as well.

6. It increases the amount of socialization time that students receive. People who are only spending time in school and then going home to do more work are at a higher risk of experiencing loneliness and isolation. When these emotions are present, then a student is more likely to feel “down and out” mentally and physically. They lack meaningful connections with other people. These feelings are the health equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes per day. If students are spending time on homework, then they are not spending time connecting with their family and friends.

7. It reduces the repetition that students face in the modern learning process. Most of the tasks that homework requires of students is repetitive and uninteresting. Kids love to resolve challenges on tasks that they are passionate about at that moment in their lives. Forcing them to complete the same problems repetitively as a way to “learn” core concepts can create issues with knowledge retention later in life. When you add in the fact that most lessons sent for homework must be done by themselves, banning homework will reduce the repetition that students face, allowing for a better overall outcome.

8. Home environments can be chaotic. Although some students can do homework in a quiet room without distractions, that is not the case for most kids. There are numerous events that happen at home which can pull a child’s attention away from the work that their teacher wants them to do. It isn’t just the Internet, video games, and television which are problematic either. Household chores, family issues, employment, and athletic requirements can make it a challenge to get the assigned work finished on time.

List of the Cons of Banning Homework

1. Homework allows parents to be involved with the educational process. Parents need to know what their children are learning in school. Even if they ask their children about what they are learning, the answers tend to be in generalities instead of specifics. By sending home work from the classroom, it allows parents to see and experience the work that their kids are doing when they are in school during the day. Then moms and dads can get involved with the learning process to reinforce the core concepts that were discovered by their children each day.

2. It can help parents and teachers identify learning disabilities. Many children develop a self-defense mechanism which allows them to appear like any other kid that is in their classroom. This process allows them to hide learning disabilities which may be hindering their educational progress. The presence of homework makes it possible for parents and teachers to identify this issue because kids can’t hide their struggles when they must work 1-on-1 with their parents on specific subjects. Banning homework would eliminate 50% of the opportunities to identify potential issues immediately.

3. Homework allows teachers to observe how their students understand the material. Teachers often use homework as a way to gauge how well a student is understanding the materials they are learning. Although some might point out that assignments and exams in the classroom can do the same thing, testing often requires preparation at home. It creates more anxiety and stress sometimes then even homework does. That is why banning it can be problematic for some students. Some students experience more pressure than they would during this assessment process when quizzes and tests are the only measurement of their success.

4. It teaches students how to manage their time wisely. As people grow older, they realize that time is a finite commodity. We must manage it wisely to maximize our productivity. Homework assignments are a way to encourage the development of this skill at an early age. The trick is to keep the amount of time required for the work down to a manageable level. As a general rule, students should spend about 10 minutes each school day doing homework, organizing their schedule around this need. If there are scheduling conflicts, then this process offers families a chance to create priorities.

5. Homework encourages students to be accountable for their role. Teachers are present in the classroom to offer access to information and skill-building opportunities that can improve the quality of life for each student. Administrators work to find a curriculum that will benefit the most people in an efficient way. Parents work hard to ensure their kids make it to school on time, follow healthy routines, and communicate with their school district to ensure the most effective learning opportunities possible. None of that matters if the student is not invested in the work in the first place. Homework assignments not only teach children how to work independently, but they also show them how to take responsibility for their part of the overall educational process.

6. It helps to teach important life lessons. Homework is an essential tool in the development of life lessons, such as communicating with others or comprehending something they have just read. It teaches kids how to think, solve problems, and even build an understanding for the issues that occur in our society right now. Many of the issues that lead to the idea to ban homework occur because someone in the life of a student communicated to them that this work was a waste of time. There are times in life when people need to do things that they don’t like or want to do. Homework helps a student begin to find the coping skills needed to be successful in that situation.

7. Homework allows for further research into class materials. Most classrooms offer less than 1 hour of instruction per subject during the day. For many students, that is not enough time to obtain a firm grasp on the materials being taught. Having homework assignments allows a student to perform more research, using their at-home tools to take a deeper look into the materials that would otherwise be impossible if homework was banned. That process can lead to a more significant understanding of the concepts involved, reducing anxiety levels because they have a complete grasp on the materials.

The pros and cons of banning homework is a decision that ultimately lies with each school district. Parents always have the option to pursue homeschooling or online learning if they disagree with the decisions that are made in this area. Whether you’re for more homework or want to see less of it, we can all agree on the fact that the absence of any reliable data about its usefulness makes it a challenge to know for certain which option is the best one to choose in this debate.

Is Homework Illegal AnyWhere?

is homework illegal

  • Post author By admin
  • September 19, 2022

In this blog, you will learn about is homework illegal? so let’s get started.

Homework has become an important part since Horace Mann invented school. But many students have a query “is homework illegal?” – many students don’t want to do homework, and according to the research, this happens worldwide. 

Homework is time-consuming and stressful for students. That’s why students hate to do homework and want to know is it legal or illegal. We know that you are one of them that want to know is homework illegal or legal. For some reasons, you can say it is illegal or for some, it is legal. 

We will start with the illegal site. Many American elementary schools have banned homework because they find that homework can affect students’ health by causing stomach and headaches problems.

Many students suffer from sleep deprivation because they stay up late at night to complete their homework. It can be harmful to children’s learning skills because sleep has been shown to assist memory consolidation.

Table of Contents

Is Homework Illegal?

While the answer to the question “is homework illegal?” is “no, not yet,” our attitudes toward homework are changing, and the pandemic has caused us to reconsider children’s work-life balance. Some school districts and individual schools have begun to prohibit homework and limit the amount of homework that can be assigned to students. Some schools have said that homework is given out only 2-3 times per week, and others have outright banned homework for students under the age of 15. 

Why Homework Is Not Illegal

Why Homework Is Not Illegal

There are numerous disagreements over the effectiveness of homework. However, after years of debate and research, there is no solid proof that it helps students in achieving higher marks. While some kids dislike homework and perform better in school without it, others rely on it to gain a deeper understanding of certain subjects.

For example, many students gain a better understanding of mathematical ideas through repeated practice. As a result, making homework unlawful may disadvantage more students, skewing the outcomes in favour of children who are born with these skills.

The government recognises this and has not passed any legislation prohibiting schools from assigning homework. Law enforcement will not arrest a teacher for assigning homework to students. This blog is all about is homework illegal.

A short history of homework for you

is homework banned in utah

There is no definitive answer to the question of when homework was invented and who invented homework .  Pliny the Younger from the Roman Empire, Roberto Nevilis from Italy in 1905, or Horace Mann can all be credited.  In one form or another, homework has almost certainly been around for a long time.  

One of the last two men is supposed to have introduced today’s concept of homework (after all, a woman would have known that there is PLENTY to do at home!). It was created as a punishment or as a way to show students that they can control their time.

As soon as homework was introduced, it was controversial.  In some states, homework bans were already in place at the turn of the 20th century.  The amount of homework given to kids increased as fears of the cold war grew and Americans were concerned about falling behind.  Later, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the anti-homework sentiment grew again, and students were given less homework. The country was experiencing an economic downturn when I entered the “workforce,” which means school.  Who else could be blamed but teachers?  There is a suggestion that the amount of homework given to kids should be increased by the Department of Education.

It has been reported that some high school students report having up to three hours of homework per night since then. This blog is all about is homework illegal.

Importance Of Homework

is homework banned in utah

Improve memory

Whatever students learn in the classroom they can revise while doing homework. It can help them to improve their memory.

Students can learn to make good use of time

When students spend a lot of time completing their homework it helps them to keep away from useless activities such as spending more hours on phones, television or video games. 

Students can become independent

Many students do their homework on their own. They don’t get help from their teacher or friends. It makes them self-reliant and increases their confidence. 

Students learn responsibility

Many students understand that finishing homework is their responsibility. That’s why they do their homework every day.  It makes them responsible as a person.

Students learn to use many resources

When students do their homework they learn to use many resources such as libraries, the internet, etc. it helps them to find more information to complete their homework on time. 

Allow parents to involve in the studies of their child

When students do their homework it allows their parents to know what their child learns in school. And they can get involved with the child in their studies. 

Improves academic performance

Learning in the classroom isn’t enough to get good grades in school. Self-study is very important for achieving high grades.

Increases concentration

When students do their homework they find a peaceful place to study where they can concentrate more to complete their homework.

Why Should Students Have Homework?

Why Should Students Have Homework?

One of the most important reasons a student has homework is that it allows professors to see where students are struggling with the course and assistance. 

At the same time, some students can work from the comfort of their own homes. It also allows teachers to get to know their students because some students are fast learners while others are slow learners.

Teachers can see where their students are lacking. The advantages of homework include teaching kids how to work as part of a group or collaborate effectively with others.

It can help the student in learning how to be self-sufficient. The schoolwork of their children is visible to their parents.

Kids should be assigned homework because there isn’t enough time at school, and some projects must be completed. Homework can increase a student’s self-esteem, but they can immediately identify their issues and get help before it’s too late if they struggle with it. 

One of the reasons professors assign homework is to encourage students to stay on track because failing behind might lead to failure. This blog is all about is homework illegal.

Is It Legal For Me To Do My Homework?

Legally, you are not required to do your homework. There is no law enforcement body that will arrest you for not doing your homework. A student who fails to complete his/her homework has the right to have it dealt with by the school.

The school may ask you to leave if you repeatedly ignore homework in schools where homework is part of the learning approach.  In some cases, parents who let their children ignore homework may attempt to get an exemption at the School Board, but in most cases, such requests still result in the child being asked to leave school.

If you refuse to do your homework, you aren’t breaking any federal or state laws, but you have no control over the actions your school will take. They have the legal authority to make whatever decision they deem appropriate. This blog is all about is homework illegal.

What States Have Illegal Homework Laws?

In all US states, homework is legal because there are no state laws prohibiting it. However, schools in different states are allowed to set their own rules about homework.

Some states ban or limit homework in some schools (or districts) including:

  • Connecticut

20 Reasons Why Homework Should Be Banned

Here are 20 reasons why homework should be banned : 

  • Homework Restricts A Student’s Freedom
  • No Time For Exercises 
  • No Time To Play Outdoor Games 
  • Often Breaks Students’ Confidence
  • Homework Doing Not An Achievement
  • Most Homework Creates Bad Habits
  • Less Time To Spend With Family Members
  • Conflict With Parents
  • Homework Can Encourage Cheating
  • Downtime At Home
  • Negative Impact On Tests
  • Writing Has Different Effects
  • Extra Challenges
  • Homework Causes Depression
  • Homework Provides No Real Benefit
  • Too Much Homework Means Not Enough Time For Yourself
  • School Is a Full-Time Job
  • No real impact on performance
  • Irrelevant content

Can Homework Be Considered Slavery?

There is no legal definition that would support the claim that homework is slavery. Even though home assignments are assigned without permission, comparing them to slavery is a ridiculous argument that cannot stand up to legal scrutiny.

If homework is considered slavery, you will need to prove that the teacher or instructor receives economic benefit from your work. However, teachers do not receive any economic benefit from assigning homework. Our sole goal is to help students apply what they’ve learned and become more comfortable with what they know.

Regardless of whether you believe the homework you’re assigned contributes to your career in any way, you can make your case to the appropriate authorities. This blog is all about is homework illegal.

What Is The Legal Homework Rights?

You can limit the amount of time your child spends on homework under the legal homework rights. It is possible to use the 504 law for these purposes, as it has multiple accommodations for children with impairment.

The term “impairment” is loosely defined under this law, which makes it a good legal tool when you’re seeking to accommodate a student’s various needs.

Having a child who has a diagnosis like Dyslexia or ADHD gives you a stronger case. Parents also have the right to exercise these rights with no diagnosis. This blog is all about is homework illegal.

How the 504 Process Works

Meetings with key stakeholders and paperwork are part of the 504 processes. These stakeholders include:

  • The student
  • A school administrator

They will pay attention and document all of your concerns during the meeting. An administrator or the child’s teacher must adhere to the record or document. On some occasions, the case goes to court before it is enforced but typically ends in the meeting room.

What Is The Optimal Amount Of Time To Spend On Homework Each Day?

There is no universally optimal amount of time to spend on homework per day. Most educators suggest using the 10-minute rule. To determine how much time your child should spend on homework, you should multiply 10 minutes by his/her grade level. 

That calculation indicates that a second grader should only have 20 minutes of homework per day, while students in 12th grade can have up to two hours of homework per day.

By using the legal homework rights, parents can get some concessions using the 10-minute rule. If a child has no homework in their academic life, it’s easier to request that the homework time be reduced (which will increase with each passing year). This blog is all about is homework illegal.

The Argument Against Homework

The following are some of the arguments used against homework:

  • This encroaches on family and relaxation time. Students require some time every day to relax, play, connect with family members, get adequate sleep, and more. These activities are essential for a healthy balance between academics and personal life. When you have a lot of homework every day, you spend most of your relaxation time studying.
  • There is a lot of pressure on students. When students know they still have homework to do, they feel an unnecessary amount of mental pressure. In the long run, consistent pressure could negatively affect a student’s performance at school.
  • A child’s self-confidence can be affected by this. Poor homework results and poor results can make a student withdraw from other students and dread meetings with their teachers.
  • Homework isn’t graded quickly (if at all). Teachers are often very busy dealing with different aspects of the academic process, so they glance at homework only briefly. In some cases, the students receive feedback long after the class has changed topics. Poorly graded homework defeats its purpose.

The Argument for Homework

  • It allows parents and children to work together. The relationship between a child and a parent can be further improved by solving homework together. The parent can see how the child copes with schoolwork and address any concerns with the authorities.
  • Students learn how to solve problems through this activity. In addition to learning to solve problems independently, children who complete their homework regularly will also gain valuable life skills. Students will be able to find information through books, the internet, and other sources on their own.
  • It gives students insight into a teacher’s thought process. By doing their homework, students gain a deeper understanding of how teachers think, which can help them prepare for tests and exams. 
  • It can help a child develop a higher sense of self-worth . When students receive high grades on their homework and complete their assignments they might feel more confident, which may lead to them becoming better students. 

Conclusion (Is Homework Illegal)

In this blog, we have discussed about is homework illegal. i hope you have understood about is homework illegal easily.

Homework is not illegal or slave labor. However, you can’t ignore the positive outcomes and the overall impact on a child’s academic foundation, regardless of the valid concerns about the impact on students. Furthermore, homework is not compulsory for students.

It is, however, up to the school to decide how to handle the student.

The school administrators can review your concerns about the amount of work your child has to do or about the relevance of the homework. This blog is all about is homework illegal.

FAQs Related To Is Homework Illegal?

Is it illegal to give homework.

Students are not required to do homework by law. While he does not prohibit schools from setting and enforcing rules and standards, he does provide schools with the tools to help ensure students receive a quality education. In other words, the school has the power to make you do your homework or face school-internal consequences.

Is there a legal limit to homework?

Homework assignments are not regulated by federal law, either. … A first-grader, for example, should not have to do more than ten minutes of homework (10 x 1), and a high school sophomore, a tenth-grader, should not have to do more than a hundred minutes of homework (10 x 10).

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Is Homework Illegal in US States? [Answered 2024]

by E.A. Gjelten February 6, 2024, 2:37 am

Is homework illegal

Have you ever seen that students are suffering from stress and mental health issues due to homework burdens? A lot of problems regarding school homework have been reported in recent times which has led to a debate regarding the unproductivity of school homework. So is homework illegal or unethical? We explore the legal as well as the ethical dimensions of this debate.

Homework is considered one of the most important parts of the schooling process even in the 21st century. It has been an integral part of schooling since the adaptation of modern learning in 1837. Since that, schools all over the world have been putting a great emphasis on it.

Have you thought about this question and want to get the exact answer? Don’t worry as we have wrapped out this article just to clear doubts regarding this question. You will be able to know about the legality of homework by the end of this blog.

We’ll help you in understanding the reasons for getting homework and why it should or shouldn’t be a part of modern schooling.

Is homework illegal?

It’s completely legal to assign homework to students in all US states , however, there are some states that have enacted laws to limit or in some cases, discourage it. Here is a list of US states that have restricted homework in some way.

Homework is something that the teacher assigned to a student for practice purposes to be done from the home. It is done to streamline the learning process of the students and keep them engaged with their studies. Homework is not illegal in most countries because the current educational curriculum won’t be completed without it.

It does not create any discrimination whether you’re a student of a basic level class or an advanced level. The only difference is that you may have to do your homework without any restriction from the teacher if you are a higher education student.

Why is homework legal?

homework legal status

In short, it is neither illegal to assign homework nor a crime. As we have mentioned a student’s learning process won’t be completed without homework with efficient results, as per various school staff. Also, there are many reasons why homework isn’t illegal. The main benefit is that homework will keep the students engaged with studies after school time. Also, it helps them to understand the topics of their books on their own to further their understanding.

Is too much homework illegal?

No, too much homework isn’t illegal as there’s no law that limits the amount of homework assigned. Homework is a legal practice that can be given in any quantity. It does not matter how much homework you are getting from your tutor, there will be no legal issues. But we recommend you to assign not much work to your students if you are working as a teacher. It may be a good gesture for you to keep them away from the depression and stress of studies.

Is homework illegal in the UK?

Is homework illegal in the UK

No, homework is not illegal in the UK. But in contrast to the US, homework is not as prevalent of practice in the UK. As reported by the educational department, homework is not a statutory requirement for students in the United Kingdom. It depends on the teacher whether he/she wants to assign homework or not.

Also Check Is Homework Banned In Ireland?

Can I refuse for my children to do homework?

There is no issue if you are restricting your children from doing homework if there’s a solid reason for it. But keep in mind that most schools have strict policies regarding their standards. Remember to work with the teachers & articulate your reasons for refusing homework for your child.

They can downgrade your children if school policies are violated time & again. So, you should need to keep this in mind while refusing your children from doing their school homework.

Is no homework a good idea?

Is no homework a good idea

If alternate ways of independent learning are introduced in our schooling systems, this can be a good idea. School authorities assume that no homework may hinder the student’s learning process and restrict their learning process. A great change in the schooling infrastructure would be required to abandon the concept of homework completely.

Do Read Is it Illegal to Burn Money?

Does homework cause depression or affect sleep?

is homework banned in utah

Normally, the answer to this question is no, but it’s certainly a possibility. Some students have reported that getting extra homework from their teachers takes a toll on their well-being. This is the main reason why people are demanding legal homework rights to provide their children with a comfortable way to learn.

Why do some people discourage homework for their children?

The main issue behind this is that most parents consider it an unnecessary burden. As we have mentioned that many students are reporting depression and stress due to excessive homework it’s the main reason why people discourage homework for their children.

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Is there any no homework law in the US?

Homework is legal according to all jurisdictions of the US and there is no law against it. So, you can say that there is no law that restricts the practice of homework in any state.

Why is homework illegal in the US?

No, homework is not illegal in the United States. Almost every state of the country has no laws to label homework as an illegal activity. With this, you must have got an answer to is homework illegal in California or any other state of the US.

Why should we not ban homework?

ban homework

There aren’t many protests or solid arguments in favor of banning homework, which is a reason it remains unchanged. Banning it may cause your child’s learning skills to deteriorate. It might not be possible for your kids to understand the topic properly and comprehensively for better learning.

Is cheating on homework illegal?

Cheating on homework is not illegal but it can be termed an unethical act, following consequences from school authorities like rustication. If you are copying someone’s homework, it will just waste your time instead of learning. In turn, the core aim of homework will be ruined, which is to aid learning. So, you should do your homework on your own instead of copying from anyone else.

Can I ask someone to do my homework?

No, it isn’t a good idea to ask someone to do your homework as the consequences would be severe if you get caught. It has been seen that students ask their elder siblings or friends to do their homework if they have got excessive work to do, or just aren’t willing to put in the effort. Keep in mind that you should not do this because it will not help you in learning the concerned topic or concept. As a result, you will not be able to secure higher grades in your class.

Who can ban homework for the students?

Normally, the education authorities of the country can ban homework or illegalize it by using legislature. But there is no debate regarding this act because it can damage the learning outcomes of the students. But some schools are free to make their decisions. In all such institutes, the committee can decide on whether they have to ban homework for students or not.

Is homework slavery?

Homework is not a type of slavery if you are asked to do it freely. But it is termed a type of slavery in most regions of the world because it violates the basic laws related to consent. Any act that you have been asked to do forcefully will come under this law. Being a student, you must have been asked to do homework forcefully. In this dimension, you can say that homework is a type of slavery & it’s evident why it’s so unpopular among young students.

In the above blog, we have addressed the debate regarding “Is homework illegal”. We have also discussed almost every aspect related to this topic to make the concept very clear in your mind. You can easily decide whether homework is good for your child or not and understand whether schools ban homework & what would be its consequences.

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No More Homework: 12 Reasons We Should Get Rid of It Completely

Last Updated: February 16, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Finn Kobler . Finn Kobler graduated from USC in 2022 with a BFA in Writing for Screen/Television. He is a two-time California State Champion and record holder in Original Prose/Poetry, a 2018 finalist for the Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate, and he's written micro-budget films that have been screened in over 150 theaters nationwide. Growing up, Finn spent every summer helping his family's nonprofit arts program, Showdown Stage Company, empower people through accessible media. He hopes to continue that mission with his writing at wikiHow. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 97,118 times. Learn more...

The amount of homework students are given has increased dramatically in the 21st century, which has sparked countless debates over homework’s overall value. While some have been adamant that homework is an essential part of a good education, it’s been proven that too much homework negatively affects students’ mood, classroom performance, and overall well-being. In addition, a heavy homework load can stress families and teachers. Here are 12 reasons why homework should be banned (or at least heavily reduced).

School is already a full-time job.

Students already spend approximately seven hours a day at school.

  • For years, teachers have followed the “10-minute rule” giving students roughly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. However, recent studies have shown students are completing 3+ hours of homework a night well before their senior years even begin. [2] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to source

Homework negatively affects students’ health.

Homework takes a toll physically.

Homework interferes with student’s opportunities to socialize.

Childhood and adolescence are extraordinary times for making friends.

Homework hinders students’ chances to learn new things.

Students need time to self-actualize.

Homework lowers students’ enthusiasm for school.

Homework makes the school feel like a chore.

Homework can lower academic performance.

Homework is unnecessary and counterproductive for high-performing students.

Homework cuts into family time.

Too much homework can cause family structures to collapse.

Homework is stressful for teachers.

Homework can also lead to burnout for teachers.

Homework is often irrelevant and punitive.

Students who don’t understand the lesson get no value from homework.

  • There are even studies that have shown homework in primary school has no correlation with classroom performance whatsoever. [9] X Research source

Homework encourages cheating.

Mandatory homework makes cheating feel like students’ only option.

Homework is inequitable.

Homework highlights the achievement gap between rich and poor students.

Other countries have banned homework with great results.

Countries like Finland have minimal homework and perform well academically.

  • There are even some U.S. schools that have adopted this approach with success. [13] X Research source

Community Q&A

Clement

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  • ↑ https://www.edutopia.org/no-proven-benefits
  • ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/03/homework
  • ↑ https://healthier.stanfordchildrens.org/en/health-hazards-homework/
  • ↑ https://teensneedsleep.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/galloway-nonacademic-effects-of-homework-in-privileged-high-performing-high-schools.pdf
  • ↑ https://time.com/4466390/homework-debate-research/
  • ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220485.2022.2075506?role=tab&scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=vece20
  • ↑ https://kappanonline.org/teacher-stress-balancing-demands-resources-mccarthy/
  • ↑ https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-homework-pros-cons-20180807-story.html
  • ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6294446/
  • ↑ https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/06/homework-inequality-parents-schedules-grades/485174/
  • ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/education-37716005
  • ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-homework-its-the-new-thing-in-u-s-schools-11544610600

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St george news.

  • 60 66/ 41 Fri 66/ 41 Sat 66/ 45

‘Anti-business’ or for the kids? Utah bill aiming to ban the sale of flavored vape products advances

is homework banned in utah

ST. GEORGE — A bill that would ban the majority of flavored electronic cigarette products in the state has opponents worried it will “annihilate” the vape industry in Utah if passed. Supporters argue the ban will help curb the spread of nicotine addiction in youth.

is homework banned in utah

SB 61 , the electronic cigarette amendments bill, is authored by Democrat state Sen. Jen Plumb of Salt Lake City. Plumb is a pediatrician and emergency medical physician who specializes in toxicology and helps patients overcome addiction. She has repeatedly commented on how addictive nicotine can be for people and how she has seen former heroin addicts unable to beat their nicotine habits.

Unlike previous bills focused on vape use that targeted the amount of nicotine found in vape products, Plumb’s will ban flavored vape products in Utah as she sees that as the primary reason youth start and get addicted to vaping.

“What I really want to stop is the pipeline of feeding our kids into that space where people are dependent on nicotine,” Plumb said on the Senate floor last week. “Data out of the ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ) shows that flavors really are the pathway into nicotine products.”

Exempted from the proposed ban are menthol, mint and tobacco-flavored vape products.

Other facets of Plumb’s bill include the banning of vape products that haven’t received market authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, as well as the creation of a registry listing what vape products are sold in the state.

The Senate passed Plumb’s bill in a 20-3 vote on Feb. 13.

is homework banned in utah

Among the few who voted against the bill in the Senate was Republican Sen. Todd Weiler who called SB 61 an “anti-business bill” and proposed a substitute that focused on recommendations made by the Utah Vape Business Association that also left the flavored products alone.

Among those proposals were tighter identification standards and technologies mandated for retail tobacco specialty stores, surveillance cameras at the point of entry and point of sale in those stores, putting RFID tags on products so they can be tracked back to the store that originally sold them, as well as bumping the $20 business license fee and annual renewal fee to $10,000.

Juan Bravo, president of the Utah Vapor Business Association, told St. George News those proposals would help curtail the real issue – kids obtaining vapes through adults who buy the products from them.

“It seems that the biggest issue that we’re seeing right now — as far as youth use — is acquiring product by way of straw man sales or getting an older individual to go in and buy the product for the youth or for the minor,” Bravo said.

Plumb said she liked the suggested security measures but was unwilling to adopt them in a bill if it meant the shops were able to keep flavored products.

is homework banned in utah

There are approximately 300 specialty tobacco shops in Utah, and Weiler said SB 61 “will put some or most out of business. This is an anti-business bill.”

Weiler said adults like flavors as much as kids do and that vape products are meant for adults. He said he was told by industry representatives that flavored products are among their top sellers.

“If we’re going to ban in Utah anything that teenagers like, then alcohol is next, wine is next, and the thing is adults like some of the things that kids like,” Weiler said.

Touching on shops only being able to sell vape products approved by the FDA, Weiler noted medical cannabis still wasn’t approved by that agency, and yet the Legislature sanctions it and allows the sale of it in the state.

Weiler’s substitute bill was ultimately shot down with Plumb’s being passed by the Senate.

As for the businesses impacted by SB 61 should it pass, Plumb said they can adjust how they do business to remain profitable.

“Unfortunately, I do think there are businesses who are going to have to look to change their models if we take flavors out,” she said to the Senate. “My hope is that this industry can find a way to continue with what they do and not feel like this was trying to put them out of business.”

is homework banned in utah

Brendon Gunn, owner of Cloud 9 Vapor in Washington City, told St. George News he believes Plumb’s bill stands to put himself and many others in Utah out of business.

“It would completely annihilate the vape industry,” he said, adding that he was among others who see Plumb and other legislators as using children as a centerpiece for their arguments. “It’s our belief that they’re using children to do Big Tobacco’s dirty work.”

Since its introduction, vaping has been marketed as a way to either decrease or quit cigarette smoking due to its lower nicotine content. However, as it is still a nicotine-based product, it continues to draw the attention and ire of health advocates and agencies – especially when it comes to youth use.

According to results from Utah’s Student Health and Risk Prevention survey – an annual survey that asks a range of behavioral and health questions with answers that can be provided anonymously – Plumb said there are an estimated 70,000 youth in the state who have been exposed to nicotine through e-cigarette use.

While vape use among minors will continue to be a concern for health advocates, legislators and impacted retailers, overall youth use has dipped in recent years.

Nationally, youth vape use dropped from 14.1% to 10% between 2022 and 2023, according to the CDC . In Utah, youth vape use dropped from 12.4% to 7.4% between 2019 and 2023, according to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services .

is homework banned in utah

“Youth use has been on a very sharp decline, and (the Legislature is) still attempting stuff like this,” Bravo said. “They’re still trying to legislate adult smokers into doing what the state thinks is best.”

After passing the Senate, SB 61 was heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday afternoon where it passed with a 9-1 vote. It now proceeds to the House floor.

“We know prohibition doesn’t work,” Bravo said during Tuesday’s committee hearing. “This bill is a win for Big Tobacco.”

Should SB 61 become law, Bravo told St. George News that the Utah Vape Business Association is ready to sue the state over it.

“It would be our preference that it doesn’t come down to that,” Bravo said. “But we are prepared to seek legal remedies if that’s what it comes down to.”

Check out all of St. George News’ coverage of the 2024 Utah Legislature by   clicking here .

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mori Kessler serves as a Senior Reporter for St. George News, having previously contributed as a writer and Interim Editor in 2011-12, and an assistant editor from 2012 to mid-2014. He began writing news as a freelancer in 2009 for Today in Dixie, and joined the writing staff of St. George News in mid-2010. He enjoys photography and won an award for photojournalism from the Society of Professional Journalists for a 2018 photo of a bee inspector removing ferals bees from a Washington City home. He is also a shameless nerd and has a bad sense of direction.

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Utah lawmakers consider ban on flavored vapes; business owners say it helps Big Tobacco

Although flavored e-cigarette cartridges can only be sold in specialty tobacco stores that are limited to those over the age of 21, lawmaker says younger teenagers often have no problem purchasing flavored vapes.

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Signs for Vape on Main in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. A new bill would ban most flavored vapes in Utah.

Megan Nielsen, Deseret News

Utah lawmakers are advancing a bill to ban the sale of most flavored electronic cigarettes in an effort to reduce the number of teens who vape.

But some vape shop owners worry the policy could harm their businesses and say it would be a boon to Big Tobacco.

The bill is being run by Senate Minority Assistant Whip Jen Plumb, D-Salt Lake City, a physician who is also the medical director of Utah Naloxone, an organization focused on decreasing the number of opioid overdoses. She described SB61 as an attempt to cut down on the number of teenagers who use nicotine products by prohibiting sales of all flavored vape cartridges other than mint, menthol and tobacco.

Plumb told the House Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday that while working in the emergency department, she has seen countless teenagers who suffer nicotine withdrawal symptoms while being treated for mental health or other crises.

"They start to ask about plugging in their devices, their vape devices," she said. "We sometimes even have to put nicotine patches on kids because they're going through withdrawals."

Although e-cigarettes are often seen as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, research from Intermountain Health found vaping can cause long-term issues such as respiratory problems, cognitive impairment and mental health issues.

Plumb presented state survey data collected in 2023 showing that sweet flavors or flavors that mimic alcohol flavors make up 69% of all flavors vaped by students in grades 8, 10 and 12, while mint, menthol and tobacco were among the least popular for teenagers.

Flavored cigarettes were banned at the federal level in 2009, although menthol cigarettes remain legal despite research showing menthol "enhances the effects of nicotine on the brain and can make tobacco products even more addictive," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

The Food and Drug Administration announced a policy to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes last October, but the White House delayed the ban in December, according to NPR .

The exterior of Vape Avenue & Smoke Shop in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. A new bill would ban most flavored vapes in Utah.

The exterior of Vape Avenue & Smoke Shop in Salt Lake City on Wednesday. A new bill would ban most flavored vapes in Utah.

While many in the Legislature see the bill as a way to limit vape products that tend to appeal to teens — SB61 passed the Senate 20-3 last week and was approved by the House committee 9-1 on Tuesday — opponents say it unfairly limits adults' access to flavored vape products and could harm the business owners who sell them.

Although flavored e-cigarette cartridges can only be sold in specialty tobacco stores that are limited to those over the age of 21, Plumb said younger teenagers often have no problem purchasing flavored vapes.

Several dozen adults loudly protested against the bill in the Capitol rotunda Tuesday ahead of its committee hearing, chanting, "We vape, we vote," and "Adults want flavors." The protesters — many of whom own or work in vape shops in the Salt Lake area — packed a crowded committee room in the basement of the House of Representatives building, which quickly filled with the scent of bubblegum and fruit-flavored vapor.

Beau Maxun, with the Utah Vapor Business Association, said the bill would only help Big Tobacco, because he said many vape shops aim to help get smokers off of traditional cigarettes.

"I will sit here in front of you right now and tell you that if this committee had the courage to ban all tobacco products, I would walk away from every single one of my businesses," he said. "But the reality is that's not what this committee is here to do."

Supporters of the bill argued, however, that the prevalence of teen e-cigarette use runs counter to the idea of getting off nicotine products, because many teens who vape do so without ever smoking traditional cigarettes.

Plumb said she's not trying to harm businesses, but noted that many people develop nicotine addictions when they're young, and often go on to regret it later in life. She acknowledged that it "sounds very nannyish," "very shaking of the finger," but added that "there is likely going to be some business model adjustments so that we can get these flavors out of the hands of our kiddos."

SB61 passed the House Health and Human Services Committee with amendments, so if it is approved by the full House it will go back to the Senate for final approval.

We looked at banned books in Utah’s biggest school districts. What we found might surprise you.

The salt lake tribune compiled a list of 262 books removed across 17 school districts. one literature professor asks: “what are we going to be left with”.

(Illustration by Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Salt Lake Tribune compiled a list of 262 books removed across 17 school districts.

One book was a finalist for the prestigious National Book Award . One topped a nationwide list for “Best Fiction for Young Adults.” Another has sold 3 million copies and been adapted into a popular Netflix series.

All top the list for the titles most banned by Utah’s biggest school districts.

As the push to remove books from classrooms and libraries wages on — led largely by conservative parent groups across the country and the state — The Salt Lake Tribune looked into what titles have been targeted in the schools attended by most of the state’s children.

The effort to challenge books was codified here with a 2022 law banning any titles containing “pornographic or indecent content” from Utah K-12 libraries and classrooms. And since that took effect, there have been hundreds of complaints filed and hundreds of books pulled.

The Tribune requested a list of the books removed from 17 of the 41 school districts in the state, all along the Wasatch Front, in Utah County and Davis County, down to Washington County School District in southern Utah. Collectively, those districts account for more than 70% of Utah’s public K-12 students.

Across them, 262 books were removed between the law passing last year and school starting this fall. One of the top banned titles, “What Girls Are Made of,” was taken out of six of the districts.

[ Explore our database of books banned in Utah schools ]

Lauren Liang, an associate professor at the University of Utah who studies censorship in literature for children and young adults, said that number represents the shift in how book challenges are being made.

“It’s no longer about one individual objecting to just one book at their local school,” she said. “We’re seeing this new push to restrict access from these large groups that have long lists of books” that they challenge in multiple districts.

Members of the group Utah Parents United take credit for putting in the bulk of complaints here — with their Facebook page “LaVerna in the Library” dedicated to the titles they find inappropriate and offering instructions on how to submit lists to districts for review. They’ve also filed police reports when they’ve felt the districts haven’t acted quickly enough.

Most of the titles they have flagged focus on race or the LGBTQ community. They have repeatedly challenged the same books, including “The Bluest Eye” by Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison and “Gender Queer,” a graphic novel about the author’s journey of self-identity.

The books they disapprove of — and that have been removed the most — are award winners and New York Times bestsellers. They include poetry compilations and fantasy novels.

Utah Parents United declined an interview with The Tribune for this story. And the lawmaker who sponsored the bill, Republican Rep. Ken Ivory, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Liang said she worries many of the requests are based on keywords or select scenes, without the challenger reading the full book or looking at the context for why those scenes matter.

The reasons most often listed by school districts for removing books seem to align with that: “Sexual content.” “Violence.” “Illicit description of sex.”

“If you just go after keywords, you lose all these books,” Liang said. “What are we going to be left with?”

The Tribune’s analysis revealed which districts are banning the highest number of books — with the top taking out 54 titles — which authors are being pulled and which books have been removed the most often across the state. Here’s what we found.

The most banned books

(Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)

It was a three-way tie for the most banned book here, with each of the top three titles having been removed from six different districts around the state.

Second place was an eight-way tie. Each of those books was removed from five districts.

Catherine Bates, the former librarian at Brighton High School, said she’s not surprised Sarah J. Maas’ fantasy books take up five of the top 11 spots for banned books in Utah schools. She actually removed some of those titles herself, when she did reviews of her school library in Canyons School District.

Bates said she’d look at scenes, like in Maas’ books, that depicted something sensitive — such as sex. If she found that was only in the book for “prurient interests,” which is a federal standard for school libraries, she’d remove it.

Maas’ books — which are actually described as adult novels — fit that description, she felt.

For other commonly banned authors, she said, it was harder for her to make the decision. For example, “Tricks” by Ellen Hopkins — who is one of the top removed authors in Utah — includes content about sex trafficking. Bates said that’s not about the prurient interest, so it’s not as clear.

“It’s not in the same realm as a romance novel but was so graphic,” she said.

She had the same stress over “Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood and decided to sit out the review process for that. She felt “too close” to it to be unbiased, she said, having read it multiple times herself and given the book to many students.

As a high school librarian, the students who came to her ranged from 14 years old to 18, which made it a challenge, too.

“Do I think an 18-year-old can handle ‘Oryx and Crake’? 100%,” she said. “Would I give it to a 14-year-old? No, absolutely not.”

The frequent book challenges “made my life much harder and more stressful,” she said, and were part of what led her to leave her job at the end of the 2022-23 school year, after a decade working for Brighton High.

It’s difficult for her to think about the materials she ended up removing from the school’s library, she said, because of how much she “wrestled” with the decisions. Such experiences were leaving her questioning her own competency.

“I’d been a librarian for 10 years and buying books for 10 years and giving books to kids for 10 years and reading 60 to 100 young adult books a year,” she said. “I still felt very unsure about the choices I was making.”

Handfuls of new challenges would be delivered to her every Friday. “It is deeply jarring to get a call from your principal to talk about taking books out of your library,” Bates added.

As a librarian, she said: “I feel like we are the protectors, and we’re the canaries in the coal mine, and the weight of that is hard to bear. … I felt like I was the person protecting my students’ freedom of speech, and that’s a big deal.”

The most banned authors

All five of the most banned authors are women.

Liang, the University of Utah associate professor, said what stands out to her is that three of those female authors — Ellen Hopkins, Elana K. Arnold and Lauren Myracle — write about coming of age experiences for young adults, particularly girls.

A lot of those experiences are traumatic, Liang noted, but they’re real and show the “sadness and the gritty reality of the world.” That includes kids who are sexually abused or have a parent who is addicted to drugs, for instance.

“When those things are in books, they are real things,” she said. “We don’t like to think about the number of kids who experience these things, but they’re here and they do. When the books are shut down, what message are you sending to the kids who have experienced that?”

For those teens, she said, the books are validating and somewhere they can see themselves reflected. And for those who haven’t gone through those things, readers can gain empathy or learn warning signs.

Liang also says there’s a reason that young adult authors include a graphic scene in their work. It’s not gratuitous. “The whole point of the book is that this is not an OK thing,” she said.

She points to books by Ellen Hopkins , which include rape. And the same with “Gender Queer,” where the queer author shares their experience of being assaulted. Liang said it’s not about the assault itself; it’s about how the character processes that and moves forward.

In almost all young adult books, Liang said, the point is to show how the character overcomes something horrific like that — often turning to a trusted adult for help.

“They persevere and succeed,” she said. “It’s about hope.”

The books are a model for survival and without them, she feels, kids are losing an example of how to get through something challenging.

She feels when Utah parents just look at those scenes and cite the pornography law to get rid of them, they’re “not using that term in a way that is appropriate to the access that they’re denying.” The point of pornography, she said, is different; it’s about arousal.

That’s not what authors like Hopkins are doing.

Hopkins spoke to The Tribune about her books being banned 35 times across Utah’s biggest school districts. She said she writes about real experiences — including her daughter’s addiction.

“‘Crank’ is my daughter’s story,” she said. “It’s my family’s story.”

Her daughter, Hopkins said, was a straight-A student who wanted to attend an art institute after high school. Then she met a guy, and he introduced her to drugs. Her daughter has struggled with addiction for the 25 years since.

“I wanted to show how easy it would be for that beautiful kid to make one wrong decision … to try to show kids not to do that,” Hopkins said.

The rape scene in the book, she noted, happened to her daughter. It’s real life.

“Every kid’s life isn’t pretty,” Hopkins said. “We can’t just take the ugliness out of the libraries. You need to see it. … And all of my books show them there is always a way out.”

She also provides a list of resources in all of her books. And — what might surprise many parents challenging her titles — there’s also a reference to Christianity in every book. Hopkins grew up in the Lutheran faith and incorporates that into all of her literature.

After every book reading or book signing, Hopkins said, she has a kid or two or three come up to her to share their experience and to thank her for highlighting real traumas. They tell her they feel seen.

The districts that have removed the most books

The top five districts in the state that have banned the most books collectively account for 223 titles removed. And together, they oversee 42% of the public K-12 students in Utah.

Washington County School District sits at No. 1 with 54 titles pulled. Many of those books — as in other districts — are about the LGBTQ community. That includes removing “This Book is Gay” and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

Liang said books about the queer experience are often targeted by parents. But she says access to those is important for kids who may be closeted and want to see themselves in literature.

“When you ban a book, you’re removing access to it for everyone — not removing it just for your individual child,” she said.

Washington County School District has also removed books on race, including “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison. Liang said that title often pops up in challenges because it includes a scene about rape. But she feels it’s important and can be read along with a teacher to provide context and historical understanding.

Erasing race or the LGBTQ communities by removing those and other diverse books, though, Liang believes sends a message to students who identify with the characters. It tells them, she said, that they don’t matter or shouldn’t be seen.

At the same time, Washington County School District has kept some challenged books about those communities, including “Julián is a Mermaid,” which is a picture book about a boy who wants to become a mermaid, as well as “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas , which deals with racism and police brutality.

Washington County School District spokesman Steven Dunham has previously said the district should balance what’s age appropriate with providing diverse titles that represent all kids.

“I also think it’s interesting how parents are challenging these books in our libraries,” he added. “This is the place that they think their children are going to be corrupted. But they are also giving them phones where they can look up anything.”

Alpine School District — the No. 4 district on the list and the biggest district in the state — made headlines for pulling 52 books to review. Of those in that one challenge from one parent, it removed 22 titles. Overall, it has taken 41 books off the shelf across its schools.

“Our process is tested, sound and fair,” said Vallen Thomas, who oversees the material review process for the district. He said the district has also conducted its own audit of the books it provides access to.

Davis School District drew national attention this past year when a review committee there voted to remove the Bible from elementary and middle schools for containing violence. A parent who was upset at the other books being challenged in the district said if those were going to be removed, the Bible should, too, for being “one of the most sex-ridden books around.”

The district’s Board of Education later reversed that decision and restored the Good Book to shelves.

But Davis still comes in at No. 3 on the list for removing 50 titles.

Liang said Utah has long been seen as the birthplace and breeding ground for authors writing kid and young adult literature — including Shannon Hale, whose works haven’t been banned in the biggest districts here, but have in other states.

Now, the challenges and the removals, she said, are making both authors and teachers nervous. Hopkins admits that she has questioned herself on what she should write next.

Liang is co-director of the READ-U program at the U. that works with teachers on selecting books for their classes that highlight empathy, awareness and diversity. Many, she said, are now self-censoring and worry about each title they pick. Instead of picking what they consider the best of the best books, she said, they’re trying to find ones that don’t mention any sensitive topic.

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15 rights parents have in public schools

by: Hank Pellissier | Updated: August 29, 2023

Print article

Education rights

Is it legal for a teacher to spank your child? Can you make sure Creationism isn’t taught? Do students, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status, have the right to a free public school education?

Finding answers to these and other loaded questions about your rights and your children’s rights in U.S. public schools isn’t obvious. Should you start by looking to the federal government? Not so fast. Our founding fathers didn’t claim federal authority over public education. In 1791, they passed off the responsibility of teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic (and discipline!) to the 14 states, as written in the Constitution’s 10th Amendment . Yes, there’s a Department of Education in D.C., but as it freely admits on its website, “Education is primarily a state and local responsibility.”

To learn your rights as a public school parent, think local. Start by checking the standards of your state’s Department of Education, from Alabama to Wyoming. Then, turn to your school district and child’s school for answers. You can find information on your school and district by looking both up at GreatSchools.org .)

This said, in the centuries that have followed since the Constitution was written, the Supreme Court has added substantial constitutional rights for parents and children. Congress overcame its initial hesitations to pass sweeping education reforms like the 1964 Civil Rights Act , the Education for All Handicapped Children Act , the No Child Left Behind Act , and numerous landmark policies .

Here are 15 of your unalienable rights in the U.S. public school system.

The right to a free education, all children, regardless of immigration status, have a right to a free education, the right to be free from discrimination.

The U.S. Constitution guarantees equal treatment to everybody, including public school students. You have the right to demand the education you believe your child needs. (For support, you can contact the ACLU .) If you think your child is unfairly on a “slow track” and is being excluded from college preparatory classes due to racial or class stereotypes, you can challenge this placement. If your daughter isn’t allowed into classes like woodshop or auto shop because of her gender, that’s illegal. If she’s prevented from attending classes, graduation, or other activities because she’s pregnant, that violates her Constitutional rights. Girls also have the right to receive equal athletic opportunities .

Right to learn English and get translation services in school

Right to be safe in school.

Many state laws require schools to prevent bullying and to provide a safe and supportive learning environment, with a School Safety Plan your school’s principal has designed. Civil rights laws are in place to protect students from bullying at all federally funded schools . Teachers and fellow students cannot harass your children about their race, national origin, color, sex, disability, ethnicity, or religion. If your child is victimized, you can notify the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice . If a student makes the school an unsafe environment by carrying a weapon or explosive, starting fights, robbing students, selling drugs, or sexually assaulting classmates, you have the right to ask for the suspension or expulsion of the student.

Right to freedom of speech and religion

Right to information and participation, right to learn about evolution, not creationism or intelligent design, the right for your children to opt out of sexual health and hiv/aids prevention classes, right to opt your children out of standardized testing, right to opt your children out of the classroom entirely, right to privacy, rights of children with special needs and disabilities for special instruction, the right to get rid of bad teachers, rights for student athletes to participate.

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Utah lawmakers consider ban on flavored vapes; business owners say it helps Big Tobacco

By bridger beal-cvetko, ksl.com | posted - feb. 22, 2024 at 8:03 a.m., signs for vape on main in salt lake city on wednesday. a new bill would ban most flavored vapes in utah. (megan nielsen, deseret news).

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah lawmakers are advancing a bill to ban the sale of most flavored electronic cigarettes in an effort to reduce the number of teens who vape.

But some vape shop owners worry the policy could harm their businesses and say it would be a boon to Big Tobacco.

The bill is being run by Senate Minority Assistant Whip Jen Plumb, D-Salt Lake City, a physician who is also the medical director of Utah Naloxone, an organization focused on decreasing the number of opioid overdoses. She described SB61 as an attempt to cut down on the number of teenagers who use nicotine products by prohibiting sales of all flavored vape cartridges other than mint, menthol and tobacco.

Plumb told the House Health and Human Services Committee on Tuesday that while working in the emergency department, she has seen countless teenagers who suffer nicotine withdrawal symptoms while being treated for mental health or other crises.

"They start to ask about plugging in their devices, their vape devices," she said. "We sometimes even have to put nicotine patches on kids because they're going through withdrawals."

Although e-cigarettes are often seen as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, research from Intermountain Health found vaping can cause long-term issues such as respiratory problems, cognitive impairment and mental health issues.

Plumb presented state survey data collected in 2023 showing that sweet flavors or flavors that mimic alcohol flavors make up 69% of all flavors vaped by students in grades 8, 10 and 12, while mint, menthol and tobacco were among the least popular for teenagers.

Flavored cigarettes were banned at the federal level in 2009, although menthol cigarettes remain legal despite research showing menthol "enhances the effects of nicotine on the brain and can make tobacco products even more addictive," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

The Food and Drug Administration announced a policy to ban menthol-flavored cigarettes last October, but the White House delayed the ban in December, according to NPR .

While many in the Legislature see the bill as a way to limit vape products that tend to appeal to teens — SB61 passed the Senate 20-3 last week and was approved by the House committee 9-1 on Tuesday — opponents say it unfairly limits adults' access to flavored vape products and could harm the business owners who sell them.

Although flavored e-cigarette cartridges can only be sold in specialty tobacco stores that are limited to those over the age of 21, Plumb said younger teenagers often have no problem purchasing flavored vapes.

Several dozen adults loudly protested against the bill in the Capitol rotunda Tuesday ahead of its committee hearing, chanting, "We vape, we vote," and "Adults want flavors." The protesters — many of whom own or work in vape shops in the Salt Lake area — packed a crowded committee room in the basement of the House of Representatives building, which quickly filled with the scent of bubblegum and fruit-flavored vapor.

Beau Maxun, with the Utah Vapor Business Association, said the bill would only help Big Tobacco, because he said many vape shops aim to help get smokers off of traditional cigarettes.

"I will sit here in front of you right now and tell you that if this committee had the courage to ban all tobacco products, I would walk away from every single one of my businesses," he said. "But the reality is that's not what this committee is here to do."

Supporters of the bill argued, however, that the prevalence of teen e-cigarette use runs counter to the idea of getting off nicotine products, because many teens who vape do so without ever smoking traditional cigarettes.

Plumb said she's not trying to harm businesses, but noted that many people develop nicotine addictions when they're young, and often go on to regret it later in life. She acknowledged that it "sounds very nannyish," "very shaking of the finger," but added that "there is likely going to be some business model adjustments so that we can get these flavors out of the hands of our kiddos."

SB61 passed the House Health and Human Services Committee with amendments, so if it is approved by the full House it will go back to the Senate for final approval.

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Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/19/mobile-phones-in-schools-are-they-being-banned/

Mobile phones in schools: are they being banned?

mobile phone ban

By the age of 12, 97% of children own a mobile phone, but the use of mobile phones in school can lead to distractions, disruption and can increase the risk of online bullying.  

Many schools have already introduced rules which prohibit the use of phones at school, to help children focus on their education, and the friends and staff around them.   

We’re introducing guidance which encourages all schools to follow this approach, so that more pupils can benefit from the advantages of a phone-free environment. Here’s everything you need to know.  

Are you banning mobile phones in schools?  

The new guidance says that schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones, but they will have autonomy on how to do this.  

Some may allow phones to be brought onto the premises but not to be used during school hours, including at breaktime.  

This brings England in line with other countries who have put in place similar rules, including France, Italy and Portugal.  

Will this apply to all pupils?   

The guidance sets out that there will be some limited cases where pupils should be exempt from the rule.  

While the majority of pupils won’t be allowed to use their mobile phones during the school day, we know that some children need their mobile phones for medical reasons, or because they have special educational needs and/or disabilities.   

How will prohibiting mobile phones work in schools?  

Schools will be able to choose an approach to prohibiting mobile phones which suits them.  

This could include banning phones from the school premises, handing in phones on arrival at school, or keeping phones locked away.   

What else are you doing to improve school behaviour?  

We’re investing £10 million in Behaviour Hubs across the country, supporting up to 700 schools to improve behaviour over three years.  

Behaviour Hubs help schools that have exemplary positive behaviour cultures to work closely with other schools that want to turn around their behaviour, alongside providing access to central support and a taskforce of advisers.  

You may also be interested in:

  • 5 ways we support schools to deal with bullying
  • How to improve your child’s school attendance and where to get support
  • The Advanced British Standard: Everything you need to know

Tags: behaviour in schools , mobile phone ban , mobile phones , mobile phones in schools , phones

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