By Simon Bazelon. When students have more common sense than the adults.

“In a recent Board of Alders hearing, the superintendent explained that the early start time is intended to keep students in their usual routine. But we need to recognize that we’re all out of our routines already and participating in a different kind of school. Navigating school online during a pandemic is difficult enough without the added challenge of a lack of sleep.

Second, classes should be shortened. Eighty minutes is simply too long to expect students to focus on an online lesson. Teachers should include intermittent breaks when students can get away from their screens, and should consider not using up the full block of class time.”