Carteret County Schools have changed the schedule of schools to eight-hour days instead of four. This puts students and staff at more risk to catch Covid-19. Students sit next to each other for two hours in each class so they are more likely to pass Covid around. The Covid-19 cases are still rising in Carteret County. The schools tried to social distance us but there are just too many students. Another thing to mention is the student’s mental health. Sitting in a desk for two hours straight, learning the same thing just isn’t healthy and students can’t focus on the content the teachers want them to learn. Students will get distracted and exhausted easily from this. This will have negative effects on their mental health. They have to do this for four classes. Miserable students are less productive as well. Someone’s mental state should be more important than school hours. West Carteret High School had a fifth period to help students one on one last semester, which helped a lot of students who couldn’t get that help before. If the schedule stays eight-hour days, this will not be possible for schools anymore and students will not get that help. Parents are also affected by this. They have already had to change their work schedule, now they’ll have to do so again to drop off their kid and pick them up. Students have already gotten used to the four-hour schedule and we should really stop making them go through changes. This includes teachers and staff as well. Students have to go to school for eight hours, sit in a desk and learn the same things everyday. They have hours of homework and studying they have to do when they get home. So not only do they have to suffer through eight miserable hours, they have to go home and do the same work. Many students also have jobs and will not have time to do both with this schedule, and quitting their job may not be a choice for a lot of students. A four-hour schedule will be easier for everyone. The Carteret County Board of Education only has two people with educational backgrounds, Rob Jackson and Travis Day. There are eight people on that board. That means there are people deciding a student’s school schedule who might not even know what they’re doing. I make this petition to change the eight-hour Carteret County school day back to four hours. The Board of Education can change this. We are meant to be trying to lighten the load on students and teachers, not make it more difficult. School affects students lives. Please sign this petition if you are a student, staff, parent, or anyone that would like to help.