by Giselle Galarza

Governor Chris Christie has proposed to extend the school day and year, while giving shorter time in the day for personal needs and a shorter summer with your family.

 “Life in 2014 demands something more for our students,” Christie said, as reported by nj.com. Christie is making an effort to push students to succeed in this “competitive world,” but is not proposing an academically effective solution.

Christie asked in his State of the State Address Jan. 14, “If student achievement is lagging at the exact moment when we need improvement more than ever in order to compete in the world economy, should we take these steps, every possible step, to boost student achievement?”

As a governor, Christie has good intentions in this matter; however, extending school days and years will come with plenty negative effects on students. Some students who live further away from school have to meet the bus about an hour earlier than school starts, get through a longer day at school, and then participate in after-school activities.

“The longer day could lead to tired, burned-out and inattentive students, or force them to abandon their after-school activities, which are also important for social development and growth,” according to education.seattlepi.com.

With a longer school day, participating in after-school activities such as sports and clubs will be a hassle. With a longer school year, students won’t be able to enjoy summer with their families, and students may find they do not have enough time to get jobs during the summer.

Extending the school year and shortening summer break also takes money out of the government’s pockets. Teachers will have to be paid more, schools will have to spend more on supplies, and the air conditioners will raise the schools’ electricity bill.

Only 60 percent of failing students attend summer school, as reported by nj.com. If 40 percent of students don’t attend summer school, even though they were assigned to, imagine the percentage of students who wouldn’t attend school during the summer if the proposal were passed.

Student learning should be strengthened through better curriculum, not through more hours and weeks of school.