It has been increasingly evident, that over the years, education in California schools has been shifted from in school in classroom learning to independent study known as homework. It is expected that children supplement the lack of education at school via self study at home. Children are subjected to an enormous amount of pressure doing homework during the school years that rarely benefits their education and most often causes the opposite: burning out, demotivation, and depression.

Multiple studies have found that most students are getting too many extra assignments, leading to sleep deprivation, unhealthy levels of stress, as well as stress related health problems.

In addition, homework imposed on children extends their "work" hours well beyond what is recommended by UNICEF.

Children spend up to 6 hours at school, and then are required to spend at least another two hours (or until completed) doing homework. This practice violates children human rights for reasonable work hours suitable for their age and denies children right to rest, relax, play and thrive.

School programs should be redesigned in a such a way that it provides children with needed education without the need to supplement it by self studying and home work.

It has been proven by other countries such as Finland, Japan, South Korea, and others who either removed or reduced dramatically the quantity of homework, that it is very possible to achieve the best scores in education while removing homework assignments as part of the curriculum.

I am a mother of two children and I have a large circle of parents who have similar observations and concerns. This homework issue has been especially aggravated by schools moving into remote learning. Kids are spending enormous amount of time in Zoom sessions and this alone deprives them of a healthy learning environment. Added homework on top of morning hours spent in school sessions deprives kids from any reasonable play time. 

All education required activities should be done at school. Kids should have time to process what they have learned in school through play time, self reflection and other extracurricular activities.

Please join me in advocating for changing how our kids feel about schools! Let's promote love of learning through active teaching in classrooms.