By Katie Dyar

Many students slave over their homework every night for hours at end. They are deprived of sleep and the next morning they can’t function. Therefore, there should be no homework in schools.

Many students need more sleep than they get. They use valuable sleeping time finishing their homework so the next morning they have to find a way to stay awake during school. According to an interview with the National Sleep Foundation, 75 percent of students said they drink at least one drink with caffeine in it each day to help them stay awake. Without homework, students will be able to get the sleep they need and will be able to function properly.

Many more students would be able to participate in the numerous options for after-school activities without the burden of homework. These are not limited to in-school activities. There are also many outside of school such as, horseback riding, ice skating, karate, and more. A lot of students have to miss out on these opportunities so they can do the boatload of homework they received that day. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, extracurricular activities help students apply what they learned to the real world. Having homework limits the amount of activities a student can do.

Without homework there won’t be any late or missing work. There are numerous reasons why homework is not turned in. One of the reasons students don’t turn in their homework is because they didn’t understand it. If the work is done in class the teacher can help the student and they will do better on the tests.

Some people say that homework gives students practice and that is partially true. The thing is, many students don’t do their homework so they aren’t getting the practice. Also, some people say that homework teaches responsibility and it does. However, students can learn responsibility from other activities. They will learn it better by doing something they enjoy.

Homework should be taken out of school. It contributes to lack of sleep, lack of participation and late or missing work. While some people may think it gives students practice and a sense of responsibility, there are other ways to achieve these goals. While homework may have been acceptable a century ago, modern technology has changed the way students learn and this is why homework is no longer a necessary teaching tool.