Boy Sues Math Teacher Who Assigned Summer Homework

Originally posted by pineappleupsidedownI think that the required classes(Algebra 1, Regular English, etc) should not have homework. Those classes are required to be passed to graduate. However, the class this boy wanted to take was an honors class. AP and honors classes have summer assignments. thats the facts of life. If you don't want to take them, you dont have to.

Exactly. I had it explained perfectly to me one day: athletes don't take the summer off...they keep working and come back in great shape for the upcoming season (at least the good athletes do), so why shouldn't the same apply to those who want to excel in the classroom? My AP Calc, English, European History, and Economics classes had work over the summer that was graded, and the students who wanted to do well really busted their asses and worked hard. It seems that today people have a difficult time understanding that things that will cause them immediate discomfort will usually pay off; we just need to learn to make a sacrifice.

Im glad the judge threw this one out.

Me too.

What is so great about having lots of homework. There was a Harvard study that showed homework causes depression. Actually, I just made up the last statement, which is teachers do every day. Most homework is 99% bull#, anyway.

Most homework just teaches you to be obediently, intellectually dependent on your teacher. You hear some stuff from the teacher, and then you rehash some of it on paper. You are judged purely by some teacher's criteria of judgement. Since homework generally serves no practical purpose after it is completed, there exists no objective standard, by which it can judged. Hence, homework teaches students to conform and judge by prejudicial or ideological criterion.

The teacher's criterion can vary. Some believe in different types of style. Others want certain views. Others want it to match a set criteria. However, regardless of what they set, the result is the same.

I don't see how homework could possibly make you dependent on your teacher. If anything, if done correctly it teaches students to apply learned knowledge by themselves at home, INDEPENDENT of the given structure of school.