Should American schools still have summer vacation?

[3pisabella]

educationnext.org/ending-summer-vacation-is-long-overdue%E2%80%94here%E2%80%99s-how-to-pay-for-it/
www.psmag.com/education/why-do-we-still-have-summer-vacation-58994/

    Reading the articles above made me realize that Summer Vacation is not a necessity to schools now. The reasoning behind summer vacation is simply for farmers and their children. Our entire calendar is based on agrarian society, which does not affect the modern society we live in today. So why not cut out summer vacation entirely? Some government officials believe that the reason why Americans don't top China in educational rankings is because they spend more days in school than us. 
    Being a student, I feel that having a summer vacation is a necessity to my educational and phycological needs. If I were to spend the majority of the year in school without breaks I would probably break down. School can be stressful for both students and teachers. Its important to take time for ourselves and refresh and prepare ourselves for the new school year.

    It troubles me though that government officials are even considering abolishing summer vacation. This is because they don't understand the amount of stress that can happen to student's life during the school year. There are new SAT standards and common core tests. Isn't it best to stop pushing us so hard and let us rest?

    I do though understand the need to  compete against China and other countries for having the best education. I also believe we can achieve that, but the government is approaching it the wrong way. By inflicting new and vigorous tests to students is only making us fail worse. If the government eliminates our summer vacation our education will fail completely.                        

[3gsofia]

Maybe the initial intention of the summer break followed the agrarian calendar but the modern American society has entirely based its education system off of it and we have become so dependent on it that it is almost impossible to change without ruining the mental stability and agility of many.

The life of a typical American teenager revolves around the school calendar. Although the standard 2 months given to students to rest from the day to day school life could easily be seen as a time for students and teachers to relax and forget about the stresses that come with the school year, the fact that summer is a productive time period is often forgotten.A large percentage of the students who regularly attend school continue additional studies to receive a better understanding of the curriculum taught during the prior year, to learn additional subjects that are not always offered, or to prepare for the upcoming school year. Some students take it upon themselves to get real life experience in the working field during this time. More importantly, the summer break is the time in which teachers plan the way to approach their assignments for the upcoming year. This is not a time of leisure for all teachers and the majority of students, perhaps it's an even more critical time of learning and preparation for them as well as a time to take it easy. The idea that competition between another country would come before the sanity of a student and before learning opportunities that can be essential to the life of a person in general sickens me and makes me realize how the priorities of those making decisions in our government are off.

The decision to rid the American school system from its most traditional and essential break would be detrimental to both the students and the teachers. This question should not even be in consideration being that the school system of America is so dependent on this time of break. The fact that the government is on board makes me question whether their intentions are selfish and strictly for a boost in personal moral. I as a student know that if this decision to eliminate the our summer vacation follows through, I will be eternally enraged and I would be miserable for all 365 days of the year.. And what's worse than enraged teenagers? Absolutely nothing.

[6ckenatea]

I completely agree with both of your statements! Summer vacation is something that all students look forward to throughout the school year. It is absurd that government officials are debating whether or not to take it out. I understand that they are trying to reach the same level of education students receive in other countries, but it is not a useful way to approach their goal.

Over the summer, many students visit other countries for vacations. Personally, I go to Croatia to spend two months with my family. Not only does visiting other countries help students experience different cultures, but they also learn new things. Students and teachers also need these two months to relax from the hardworking school year and reboot their systems.

However, summer vacation is not just about relaxing. Students also use the two months to join a camp or program that will further benefit their school education. They also might take a class that they are interested in that would help them decide their future interests. Similarly, teachers take this time to plan their lessons for the entire school year. I cannot believe that government officials would take out such a vital part in a students’ education.

The school year is so stressful for many, with the standardized tests, regents, APs, and the SATs and ACTs coming up. Not to mention that we attend a Performing Arts high school, we also spend a lot of our “free” time on our major that does not leave us enough relaxation time over the weekends. For students, the summer vacation is there to get rid of all the stress and pressure and to unwind all the tension one had throughout the school year.

[6cgonzaleznunez]

I totally see where all of your comments are coming from and I agree with all of you. Summer vacation definitely means a lot more to students than adults think and I think that is what they are missing out on. At this point in our lives, we have spent most of it in school. Although education is important as history has proved to us in the past, we must not forget that there is more to life than just school. Youth is a very special and limited time period and almost every adult wishes they could return to their time. We need space and time for ourselves to act our age and have experiences because now is the only time where we do not have to worry about kids or bills we have to pay. 
If those government officials worry so much about competing with more academically advanced countries such as China, why not actually make a smart decision by putting the money towards it? They should worry about paying teachers more, pay for more school supplies, worry about the struggled kids in school and paying for tutors and making education itself affordable. This is especially an issue with going to college! Making the school year longer than it is will probably get kids to stop going to school as a rebellious act. More school means more stress, and more stress will definitely mean lower academic performance.
To be honest, I never thought it would come to this. This question should be unthinkable. It is safe to say that those who are considering this are doing it solely for themselves. They are not taking into consideration that this will affect students across the country in so many ways. Summer is our time to travel, engage in sports, and some us even take extra courses for college credit which is bad enough. Personally, I am really tired of always thinking about school and keeping my grades up and worrying about all these tests. I just wish I had more sleep and time to do other things because i have a repetitive daily routine. To adults, this may seem like a very ignorant comment coming from a lazy teenager, but i love learning new things and i actually like going to school most times. Making it my entire life is not going to make me any smarter so that they can compare me to kids from across the globe. 

[10pemma]

Summer vacation should be kept in schools for kid's sanity, if nothing else. If there is a required amount of school days per year, maybe it would make sense to spread it out more, like lengthening other vacations, but summer vacation is the break between grades. It refreshes kids for a brand new year, and it's only fair that we should be given a few months to clear our minds and renew ourselves. I agree with the comment above, "If those government officials worry so much about competing with more academically advanced countries such as China, why not actually make a smart decision by putting the money towards it?" It's entirely true. Maybe if more funding was given to schools and education as opposed to the military, we'd be in the top countries. Increasing the quantity of school will not increase the quality. If summer is taken away, it will honestly create a country of psycho workaholic robots, or deadbeat burnouts. People need to think realistically about how taking away vacation would affect the youth. Adding pressure does not guarantee success.

[3smaya]

I too understand the need for America to compete in education with China but abolishing summer vacation would defeat that purpose. Considering the average time we spend at school a week, that is more time most actually spend at home. Most people I know including myself get home from school really late and all they really do is homework and then go to sleep and then has to wake up really early to go to school again. We have two days off every week but even that isnt really enough. we still spend those day doing homework,projects, or writing essays for school instead of relaxing like we should be doing. For example, if a person goes running they need to take breaks to catch their breath and hydrate before starting again or else many bad things can happen to their body. This is just like students in school. If we keep going without any breaks to recuperate, we would have no energy or motivation to continue. Students would become less focused and less interested in school which can dwindle their education.

[10pisabelle]

Yes, American schools should still keep summer vacation even though we no longer live in an agrarian society. We need breaks, including summer vacation, because we are people, not machines. We need time to recharge, and to experience life without having to constantly worry about school. We as students look forward to even the littlest breaks from school, such as weekends or special holidays. This gives us time to better organize ourselves, and to get sleep. Breaks are what mark the beginning of the week, or the beginning of a new school year where we can start the year with a different mindset. Taking out summer vacation would just ruin the lives of students, making it harder to learn because of stress.
Government officials should not be comparing the education system in America to the education system in China, or any other country. They should be focusing on what is most beneficial to the student population , and that being able to enjoy summer break.

[10plauren]

Summer break should be kept in school or else stress would get to students. This could even cause mental breakdowns and even depression. Breaks are needed to recharge the energy students have, so much of a student’s time is spent on school already. Adults who wish for no summer vacations aren’t the ones going through school and should not be able to make the decision for us. If students are the ones who have to go through it, we should have a say in the decision. Vacations give students time to catch up on rest, social activities, summer jobs to earn money and to learn responsibility, community service and volunteer experience. In addition, homework is given to the students during these breaks, which is enough as it is. As Isabelle said, student’s looks forward to vacation, it’s part of what keeps us going, the light at the end of the tunnel… Breaks give students the opportunities to relax and catch up on things they missed. Without summer vacations it would be more likely that less kids would move on to college after high school.

[10nangie]

I completely agree. Summer vacation is not only traditional but it also gives students a chance to get jobs, volunteer,
go to Driver's Ed, and study for important exams like the SAT's and Regents, which are all the things expected from them
by high schools and colleges. Many generations have grown up with the idea of summer break and having it taken away would
just cause a lot of confusion. Many people think a students' life is not hard or complicated, but kids (especially in high school) work
extremely hard for about ten months to get good grades and to pass exams. They go to tutors and join clubs after school  to get accepted
into good colleges. Some don't even go on vacations, spending breaks on homework or in educational programs. Students
need summer break to relax and come back to school refreshed.

[6sjulia]

This is absurd. How do adults hope to raise attentive and behaving teenagers if we are not given a break. Our summer vacation is our getaway, our salvation and sanctuary. Children are molested by the school system expected to work for five days a week for ten months straight without the opportunity to relax and take a rest break and now they want to take away our summer break as well. Even on weekends we are polluted with weekend homework and studying. In my personal experience, my weekend does not consist of Netflix binging but of studying for a test I'm having in the next week. Isn't it enough for government officials that we have to have homework during the summer break as well, we are not even given full release during those 62 days of freedom, we are tricked into believing we have. Mental stability due to a break and job opportunities which could go on college aps. aside; students just need a break from teachers, from the same boring old routine which drives us all nuts. The summer break allows us to learn about ourselves, something that can not be accomplished during the ten months of stress.

[10channah]

I do not think we should take away summer break. It is a time for people to take a break and relax. For me, the weather in may and june already does not make me want to be in school. It is so nice outside that I feel I should be outside relaxing or hanging out with friends and enjoying myself. If we had school in july and august, I couldn't even imagine how little concentration there would be, and people would dread school even more. Also, the weekends, though they are very short and are not relaxing most of the time while they are filled with homework, are a nice enough break up from the stress of school. We already get the break. I feel that there would be no sense of accomplishment after a school year ended and now its time to relax. Instead, you would still have to spend time in school working. Also, summer is a time to give your brain a rest from all of the academics, but it is also a very helpful and useful time. One can figure out what they want to do in life, and what they really enjoy. For me, I spend my summers at music camp, and there I learn more about myself and more about music, things I could not learn the same way through being in school. With little breaks between the school days, there would not be enough time for people to explore themselves and the world, and see what else there is out there. Not everyone enjoys school, and there should be a time when everyone can really enjoy their life for a while and see what the world is like without the stress and hardships of school. There is so much else out in the world to see and experience.

[10hdakembay]

I personally think that taking away student's summer vacation is unfair, but OFFERING the option to take classes or attend school in the summer is something that I am for. Honestly NYC is fairly lenient with how long Summer Vacation last. Many states are now shortening Summer Vacation to a month and a half, about three weeks shorter than NYC's. By offering it instead of forcing it upon the students, kids will have the choice, and maybe would be able to graduate a year early. I would take this option and then chill for a whole year before I go to college. Furthermore as Hannah mentioned school is only becoming more stressful, and the breaks we have are well deserved. Without summer break kids would work, and work until they eventually tire out and crash. This is the reason why college breaks are longer than high school breaks. The kids away at college are going through courses in four months, and have a lot more pressure on their plate than a high school student, so they need more rest time to prep for the next four months. All in all summer breaks should stay intact, because summer should be a time for fun, and in addition the city would have to put out more money to keep schools open all summer long.

[6gzelda]

In my opinion taking away summer vacation would overall be harmful to the students and their well being. Summer vacations offers students a chance to relax after a very stressful 10 months in school. In addition to that summer is when many student take advantage of all their free time and they start a job, college program, class, or internship that they wouldn't usually be able to participate in during the school year because of their busy schedules. The fact that we no longer run on the agricultural calendar does not mean that taking away summer would benefit the students. The fact that they considered doing this just to try and be on the same level of intelligence as China shows that they don't see the stress and pressure that students are under during the year and that taking away that vacation would just make these things worse. This would not increase productivity but more likely would decrease productivity but increase drop out rates. Taking away summer vacation would be overall harmful to the students and faculty.

[10bsamantha]

Summer vacation is something that all students look forward to. By taking it away, not only would it be detrimental to students health but it also would eliminate motivation for the end of the school year, in my opinion. For so long our society and school system has a 2 month break for the summer. If we take that away, it would be a drastic change. It is important for us to take breaks especially when it comes to a rigorous school year. Also, many schools do not have efficient air conditioning systems, making the classrooms extremely hot and the learning environment not safe. Summer vacation provides a break that is well needed. Although we are constantly competing with other countries, why can't we just accept that our students are performing at their best and need not to surpass others?

[3diegol]

The idea of removing summer vacation from the lives of students in hopes of surpassing China in education seems practical, in theory. However, summer vacation is a time that many students (myself included) look forward to all year long and taking it away could even be considered cruel. Despite the fact that our academic calendar is based on an agrarian society, a 2 month break from an educational institution that keeps students stressed and away from interaction with the outside world is not so much to ask. Students may forget one month of instruction during this break, but a child's life should not completely revolve around school. Regardless of the benefit and education we receive from being in school, it certainly does not mock the real world in a sense that students are not experiencing what they would in an adult person's life. Students indeed relax during school vacations, but many of them prepare for standardized tests, get a summer job, go out of the country and so on. If summer vacation was removed, students would spend less time with their family, remain stressed within school walls and not be able to enjoy time away from loads of homework and testing. Government officials should take into consideration the stressful agenda that a student experiences on a daily basis. The idea of eliminating summer vacation may seem great to them on paper, but it would prove to be catastrophic for the actual students who have to endure it.