Stress levels are rapidly increasing in high school students, so it begs the question: Is the district’s homework policy really as effective as it’s meant to be? 

As an attempt to reduce stress in students, the district introduced years ago a homework policy that supposedly limited the amount of homework and eliminated it during breaks. 

But students have increasingly found that many classes do not follow the homework policy, although it applies to all non-weighted classes. 

Last month, many students found themselves scrambling to complete homework and projects, and prepare for tests because they were reluctant to study during spring break. 

It is said that the homework policy does not apply to weighted classes, so these classes continue to pile on work when students are simply hoping for a spring break to actually be a time off of the stress overload. 

“[Teachers] should follow the homework policy because the only difference from regular [classes] is the speed of which the lessons are taught,” junior Aaryan Redkar said. 

Despite the fact that the homework policy is supposed to be enforced for regular classes, homework has been assigned over spring break.

Although teachers may not say that students need to study over the break, they set test dates right after it, essentially forcing students to study. 

When break nears, students should feel a sense of relief and should be able to relax without feeling the burden of classes that are still a week or two away.

When given assignments over break, students tend to procrastinate since they simply want to escape from the school work load. 

Some teachers support such reasoning and believe that students deserve to relax during breaks instead of preparing for a class or trying to get ahead. 

“I think it probably has diminished the stress levels in some students, but there are a lot of students that put pressure on themselves,” said English 9 and 11 teacher Ted Levey. “It’s probably helped some, but not as much as it could.”

As students, we should be able to get our mind off of grades and classes at certain times during the school year. We must be able to decrease our levels of stress, proving it to be better in the long run.

Teachers need to carry out the purpose of the district homework policy so students stop stressing over breaks.