Audrey
11-09-2006, 08:16 AM
My daughter is 16. She's been in theater since entering into junior high. She's been in several productions.
I'm used to "crazy" schedules, long rehearsals, time changes etc. However, last night, the kids were kept until just past 11pm. I'm really not ok with this.
I live in CA. By law, kids under the age of 18 can not work past 10pm on a school night. This is the LAW.
I'm aware that for cheerleaders, band and football players, that when there is an away game, while the game ends at 9:30, it's an hour bus ride, the kids aren't going to be back until 11ish. It's also a Friday night and some kids will sleep on the bus.
Class began at 1:45. The kids were there until 5:45. They got a 45 minute break for dinner and then were at rehearsal until about 11:10 p.m. This is EXCESSIVE.
Of course my daughter does not want me to complain. Of course she begged me to let it go.
Had she had zero homework I might have been ok with it, but she had about 2 hours worth of homework to try and get done too. My other daughter was in marching band. Sometimes she'd get out at 3, and have to be back at 6, and then not get home until 10pm. I was ok with that. She had 3 hours to rest, eat and do homework.
Yesterday, these kids had zero time for homework. Plus for a school night it was way too late.
Ok...so I'm letting her sleep in this morning and go in at lunch time. Many other parents last night said they would be doing the same thing. There were a ton of angry parents last night. These kids can't be at school until 11pm and then be up at 6am to be at class on time in the morning. They are all going to end up sick :(
I'm also not crazy about the message the teachers have conveyed "the play is more important than homework and other classes".
How's that for a nice long rant?
I'm used to "crazy" schedules, long rehearsals, time changes etc. However, last night, the kids were kept until just past 11pm. I'm really not ok with this.
I live in CA. By law, kids under the age of 18 can not work past 10pm on a school night. This is the LAW.
I'm aware that for cheerleaders, band and football players, that when there is an away game, while the game ends at 9:30, it's an hour bus ride, the kids aren't going to be back until 11ish. It's also a Friday night and some kids will sleep on the bus.
Class began at 1:45. The kids were there until 5:45. They got a 45 minute break for dinner and then were at rehearsal until about 11:10 p.m. This is EXCESSIVE.
Of course my daughter does not want me to complain. Of course she begged me to let it go.
Had she had zero homework I might have been ok with it, but she had about 2 hours worth of homework to try and get done too. My other daughter was in marching band. Sometimes she'd get out at 3, and have to be back at 6, and then not get home until 10pm. I was ok with that. She had 3 hours to rest, eat and do homework.
Yesterday, these kids had zero time for homework. Plus for a school night it was way too late.
Ok...so I'm letting her sleep in this morning and go in at lunch time. Many other parents last night said they would be doing the same thing. There were a ton of angry parents last night. These kids can't be at school until 11pm and then be up at 6am to be at class on time in the morning. They are all going to end up sick :(
I'm also not crazy about the message the teachers have conveyed "the play is more important than homework and other classes".
How's that for a nice long rant?