As one Florida school district prepares for a homework ban, Lee County teachers are being given the option on homework.
Marion County will be the only district in Florida starting the school year Thursday with a homework ban for elementary school students. Marion county district officials used research from University of Tennessee Professor Richard Allington to make their decision. His research found reading to a child, or having the child read a book is more beneficial than homework.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea at all,” said Pamela Rubio, whose grandson will attend Dunbar High School.
In an email, a Lee county school district spokesperson told Four In Your Corner there is not a district-wide policy which dictates how teachers assign homework. Teachers are given the choice to make the decision based on their student’s needs.
“It would be stress free, but at the same time I wouldn’t learn as much,” said Carl Shackleford, a Dunbar High school student.
His grandmother wants his teachers to assign homework throughout the school year. She told Four In Your Corner she doesn’t support the findings of Allington’s research.
“I don’t know, stop and think about it; twenty minutes worth of reading when sometimes it takes an hour or two to do homework. I think a lot is going to get missed,” said Pamela Rubio.
It’s not clear if any teachers in Lee County have decided to opt out of homework this school year; however, students seem to like the idea.
“When kids take a book or something home all they’re going to do is leave it in their back pack; they probably won’t even take it out of their backpack,” said Makayla Smith, 7th grade student.
