More Seattle schools are saying ‘absolutely no’ to homework

KING-5 reports Whittier Elementary School has a new school-wide no-homework policy. They are one of at least a dozen Seattle schools doing this.

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“Jason and Burns” spent some time breaking down why they think this is a great idea for Seattle schools, and wishing that this had been the policy while they were in class.

ZAK BURNS: I can get on board with this. Young me obviously would have. But as an adult and looking at the things kids are being assigned for homework, it’s the same stuff that I got assigned when I was a kid. All it is busy work to assure the parents that we’re doing something in the classroom. Just to make sure for a few hours after school I was focusing on academics.

This is specifically happening in elementary schools. This is not something that is new and happening in Seattle. This has been happening across the Country for various reasons.

JASON RANTZ: What the busy work ends up doing is it kills your imagination. They’re just giving you a book assignment. I hated, hated, hated reading when I was both in high school and college because you forced me to read a book that I wouldn’t have naturally gravitated towards. I’ve read them since. When you force someone to do something it just takes all of the fun out of it. I love reading now.

BURNS: You know the first book I got assigned to read in school? Pride and Prejudice! I am 14 years old. Every hormone is coursing through my veins, and you want to me to sit and read a book about 18^th Century flirting? That’s how you’re going to try to develop a passion for reading in me? And then from there, the second book I read was Jane Eyre. These are just not the kinds of picks when it comes to literature that will inspire a lifetime full of reading.

While they agree that this is a great policy, they can’t help but express a bit of jealousy.

RANTZ: I will say this … because I am a vindictive and selfish person. I suffered through horrible hours of homework. Part of me is like you all should suffer too. Why should it just be me who suffered?