By Kayla Hoang, Staff Writer, & Bethany Pham, News Editor
Middle school and high school students won’t be able to get extra sleep after California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed the bill campaigning for schools to start no later than 8:30 a.m.
Under this bill (SB 328), California middle and high schools would have implemented the new policy by January 1, 2021. The bill circulated around the state for a few years now, since longer hours of sleep could result in multiple advantages for students. However, the hope of a later start time was shut down by Gov. Brown on Sept. 20.
Scientific research and studies found that a later start time could benefit sleep hours, attendance, grades and overall mental health for students, hence the reason the bill was proposed. Factors such as homework, studying and other extracurriculars usually affect the hours of sleep the average teenager receives.
Supporters of the bill advocated its benefit on students and potential prevention for teenage sleep deprivation. In fact, most teens on average receive less than hours of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation, despite needing 8-10 hours every night.
“All research shows adolescents go to bed later and need to sleep in longer because their circadian rhythm is in flux,” said FVHS’s school nurse Marci McLean-Crawford.
Those against the bill argue about the convenience issues for parents and their children. Most jobs start at 8 a.m. for parents, so there could be issues with rides, timing and costs not discussed.
“It would be a great thing if it was passed [and]bto include zero period to start late,” said McLean-Crawford. “But starting later means staying longer in the day, so I predict students will just start to ask for more zero period classes, which then makes the later start a moot point.”
Gov. Brown believed that the decision of starting late for schools should lie within school districts themselves.
“This is a one-size-fits-all approach that is opposed by teachers and school boards. Several schools have already moved to later start times,” Brown announced in a message justifying his veto. “Others prefer beginning the school day earlier. These are the types of decisions best handled in the local community.”
