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Increasing number of schools delaying school start times for mental health of young people

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Upper Derby High School in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, delayed the start of school from 7:30 am to 9:45 by more than two hours. This is to ease the tension of students who have escaped the COVID-19 pandemic. Khalid Doulat, who is about to graduate from this school, said, “I am much happier now that I have been to school late. Compared to when I was forced to get out of bed at 7:30 to go to school, I am more positive and can come to school with a smile.”

A growing number of U.S. schools, such as Upper Derby High School, are delaying start times to allow teenagers to get more sleep. Delaying school start times is increasingly gaining attention as one way to address the mental health crisis affecting American teens.

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Daniel McGarry, Superintendent of Upper Derby, said, “Students’ respect for teachers in the classroom has collapsed as they return to face-to-face classes after completing online education that began with the COVID-19 pandemic. However, since the start of school was delayed, much of the social anxiety felt by the students has disappeared.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of students who consistently express feelings of sadness or despair has increased significantly. Mental health is at risk and the number of students attempting suicide has also increased. Research shows that not getting enough sleep doesn’t help middle and high school students.

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“Sleep deprivation will make mental health problems, such as decision-making and extreme choice impulses, much worse,” said Apieu Buxton, Pennsylvania State University’s research director, “Sleep, Health, and Society.” School start times are disappearing into the background of history,” he said.

Since California first delayed school start times in 2019, at least nine US states are now considering delays. Until last year, only four states had considered delaying school start times.

“Getting more sleep definitely helps,” says Elise Olmested, a freshman at Upper Derby High School. Going to school early will make you more irritable throughout the day and make it more difficult to get through the day.”

Matthew Alloway, principal of Upper Derby High School, said the number of students sleeping in class has decreased significantly since the start of the school day has been delayed.

However, criticism has been raised that students’ class time has been reduced by delaying the start time. However, Mr. Alloway says, “students get exactly what they need from school.”

“It is true that even if students do not see the effects of delaying school hours every day, the positive impact is large,” Dulat said. In everyday life, the changes are so small that we do not notice them, but the effects build up slowly, and we can feel the difference in real life.”

[드렉슬힐(미 펜실베이니아주)=AP/뉴시스]

Source: Donga

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