By Michael Hill
Correspondent
“Joy for learning is gone, they don’t have any enthusiasm when they go to school,” said Jayashree Vedamurthy.
South Brunswick parents say it’s the result of excessive homework and it’s happening to many children leading to kids going to bed at 2 in the morning, waking sleep deprived even on weekends and vacations. Their complaints and concerns of anxiety-filled high school students seem to represent some of the results of a recent survey of 22,000 high schoolers, 39 percent of students in school are tired, 29 percent are stressed.
“They don’t have time to eat, they don’t have time, no extracurricular activities or family time,” said Joyce Mehta. Raman Prajapati continued “we want them to compete but not at the expense of the health and mental fitness.”
Parents say since last school year they’ve taken their complaints to the South Brunswick superintendent and school board but have not gotten any relief. The superintendent formed a committee to study the homework issue. Parents say this is not different than superintendent of neighboring West Windsor-Plainsboro district who had study done and found 68 percent of high schoolers stressed, too much emphasis on making grades instead of learning, and so last year he mandated 4 days with no homework.
The West Windsor Superintendent wrote in a letter to his district “…there are times when we need to collectively have a break from the responsibilities of homework and enjoy time with family and friends…”
Seton Hall’s Director of Secondary Education, Dr. Daniel Katz, says excessive, sleep-depriving, stress-inducing homework has no benefit. Parents say they want to work with the district to ease the homework load and produce more learning before the stress leads to a tragedy.
The South Brunswick superintendent did not respond to several NJTV News requests for comment.