Why must we be in school past 1:30PM EST?

Question

If the Law requires you stay until after lunchtime why must we stay till 2:30 or sometimes schools stay in until 3-4?

And why do High school Teachers get to give us a lot of homework what are we really learning being burried in homework nightly and even on weekends you know teachers get plenty of time to do their work in school and barely have to do any at home if that. Why cant we as students and we should also be able to go home for lunch. My mom did in high school why cant we?

Answer 1

The law is that in order for the day to count as a full school day you must be there until after lunchtime (or 11:00am).  HOWEVER, the same law also says that you need a certain amount of hours in "seat time",  meaning hours engaged in learning.  If the school day were to be shorter, then you would have no summer vacation in order to amass the "seat time".  

As for your school not letting you go home at lunch, times have changed, not everyone has a parent at home waiting for them, and technically the school is responsible for them during school hours.  So, this becomes a big liability issues.

Finally, why do teachers give homework?  I can't answer for all your teachers, but I give homework for lots of reasons; to reinforce the day's lesson, to prepare for the next class day, or to foster independent learning in students. As for teachers get plenty of time, think again my friend.  I am a high school English teacher and I spend AT LEAST one to two EXTRA (time at home) hours a night correcting student work, time that I don't get paid for, and can't spend with my children.  The grass always looks greener from the other side, but the reality is quite different.  Don't think you know what teachers do, or don't do - you don't. Trust me.

Answer 2

Do you want to go to school at 5:00am then?

Or what about shorter vacations?

Shorten the school day and everything will go to ****.