It seems that President Obama’s solution to everything is more. More stimulus, more regulation, more consumption of time. I do not oppose the idea of a change to schedule, I do however object to the lack of real thought that seems to have been put into this plan, at least from the article cited by the debate creator. True students in South Korea spend more time at school and perform better at academics. This does not, however, mean that increasing the hours the American student spends in class will cause them to perform better. As a counter example to the President’s argument I will outline another school system that outperforms the United States: Germany.

Gymnasium (the equivalent of American high school) students rarely have classes after noon. At the same time the average student takes not one, but three foreign languages (generally English, Latin, and French), one or more sciences, at least one math, a history, literature, as well as the electives you would expect. A tenth grade student might well have three foreign languages, two sciences, a math, a history, and literature classes during the same semester. They cover more material in less time than even the most advanced American student could hope to accomplish in the public education system.

So clearly the failing is not in the amount of time that American students are in class. What then is the root of the education gap? It contend that a fundamental difference in societal standards separates American students from their peers in Europe and Asia. The idolization of the “every man” that has characterized the United States since it’s founding places a block to higher education. This perception is continuously reinforced by images conveyed to us both in school and out. Abraham Lincoln, Jonny Appleseed, and Martin Luther King Jr., what do these men have in common? Each of these men are represented to us as men who worked up from nothing, overcoming financial and societal barriers placed before them. This is an important concept in the quest to find the root of the United States educational lag.

Yet at the same time Americans are equally obsessed with the wild antics of the ridiculously wealthy. Figures like Paris Hilton, Brittany Spears, and other actors and actresses captivate the American attention.

This dichotomy is important to understanding why American students are outperformed. At home and at school they’re told that schools isn’t important. Yes, you read that correctly. Lincoln only completed a grand total of 18 months of schooling; the implication being one doesn’t need school to succeed. Academics in all fields are given little or no respect in American society, there is no fame or fortune to be had in science, or history, or math. Students strive to become the next Bill Gates, the next Alex Rodriguez rather than the next Livy, Shakespeare, Jansci von Neumann, or Einstein.

In short, the President has not proposed anything that will alter the fundamental cause of the education gap. Instead he proposes action for the sake of creating the illusion of solving a very real problem. I do not see how adding more time to the school day and year will translate into greater academic achievement. This will simply put greater strain on teachers, parents and students. However, this conclusion is based off of newspaper article, not on any truly substantial evidence. There are signs of real progress to be made in the comments quoted and I will allow the President the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Therefore this argument is as much an opportunity to voice observations of trends in American culture as it is a rebuttal to President.

It would mess up everyones schedule. Kids are in school long enough. An idea that was never picked up was the idea that we have 1 week of school off a month and cut out summer vacation.

Having students stay longer in school only makes them want to sleep and not pay attention to a higher degree. Kids are already half asleep by the end of the day. It would just be a bad idea.

Good thing I'm about to graduate.

Because education seems to be getting worse and worse. If the crappy education we have now isn't improved then It won't matter how long students are at school. Because from my experience a lot of students don't care about their education. That is where the big problem is. They care about their electives. Most kids that are trying to pass are doing it so that they can play basketball.(they are the kids that like Obama and no almost nothing about him) Thats not good. The motivation is in the wrong place. And that's just one little problem that we have with education. So before we go and change the schedule lets try to fix the main problems that exist.

Where did you hear this by the way?

yeah, fuckin' bullshit.

I mean, i know every year i look back to the grade before me and think "i guess that was necessary", but i could never think that we need more school for kids. most teens have jobs and things called LIVES. just cause Obama was a nerd his young life who didn't party or hang out with friends doesn't mean everyone else has to suffer.

I'm trying to weasel my way out of high school as it is. Like, apparently in Utah the state owns your ass if your under 18 and your parents are just 'caretakers'. You literally cannot quit high school. They take you to court. I should know.

Ugghhhh...