Students' Petition Prompts North Rockland Schools to Re-Evaluate Homework Policy

In past years, a hefty majority would say homework is necessary and argue that traditional homework and schooling go hand in hand. Recently, however, many students, parents, and educators are increasingly opposed to the notion of traditional homework and are looking to pave way for alternative at-home methods. And thanks to two elementary-school students, the North Rockland Central School District is looking into its homework policy across the district’s eight schools.

Christopher DeLeon and Nikolas Keeley, two fifth-grade students at Farley Elementary in Stony Point, recognized the emotional and physical toll evoked from their nightly homework load for themselves and their peers, older, younger, and those who don’t enjoy the same resources as others to assist and check over their homework, according to an article on lohud.com.

Christopher described the emotional distress he endures due to traditional homework practices, telling lohud.com that he gets stressed out by the work, and even breaks down in tears. Nikolas highlighted another important concern with homework: With non-academic obligations after school, he frequently has trouble finding the time to complete his homework and would often arrive late to his after-school activities in order to complete his work, according to the article. With this, Christopher and Nikolas proposed a ‘no homework’ petition calling for the abolishment of homework. After some recess circulation, the petition collected more than 150 signatures and was handed to North Rockland school district administrators.

The petition helped prompt North Rockland’s administrators to re-evaluate their policies on homework, thanks to the passion and drive of the students who spearheaded the initiative for their peers. Officials are evaluating alternative methods to traditional homework practices that better relate to their students well-being while still reinforcing what is learned during school hours. New guidelines are expected to be in place by the 2019-2020 school year, according to lohud.com.

North Rockland isn’t the only Rockland School District looking to revise their homework policies. Nyack school district officials are also looking into reevaluating and revising their policies, Superintendent James Montesano told lohud.com.