As Ned was walking back from his gym encounter, he chanced to pass by the local elementary school, as was his wont, only to discover that they were on yet another "break", this time it was apparently "Spring Break." After mature reflection, Ned can find nothing so onerous about the time his young friends spend in elementary school, spent as it seems to Ned mainly in Playground and Lunch, to warrant the necessity for a week's recuperation. Ned is familiar with the plaintive whine already coming from his teacher friends; to wit, (said in a high, whiny, nasally voice) 'we have to do so much evaluation we need a week off to do it!' Ned would reply that he sees no need for constant evaluation of children, brought about it would seem largely by the very short periods the academic year is divided into. Moreover, if his teacher friends would like to enjoy the support of their associates in the community, they might press for a school year that is more like the year of the average working stiff: 50 weeks on and two off. Why should kids and teachers get the entire summer "off?" What sort of message does that send to kids about the value of education and about their responsibilities as learners?
So Ned would propose that we go to a real school year, with perhaps one month off so kids can go on vacation wit their parents. Let's get rid of this anachronistic and wasteful "spring break" and "fall break" for seven year olds for Christ's sake.
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