SCHOOL: DANGEROUS AND STRESSFUL?

        School is supposed to be a safe place.  A place to get an education and a better future.  Now, in the 
late 90s schools are becoming dangerous and they cause children to have a lot of stress.
        Since last year there have been many shootings and massacres in schools.  Students are killing 
other students and teachers.  These incidents leave scars that never heal.  Many parents have a doubt whether 
this will happen in their childrens’ school.  It is a nightmare and they hope it never happens.
        How can these things happen?  Many people are thinking of having metal detectors in the schools.  
Will this actually help?  It may help a bit, but it won't prevent from having shootings at schools.  A student 
may have a gun and use it on school grounds or in front.  Metal detectors still don't make it as safe as it 
should be.  
        Too much school and too much homework is causing a lot of stress on students.  They want to 
relax a little bit more and live like young people.  Going to school is almost like having a job, but you don't 
get paid.  Some students devote their childhood to getting good grades and and trying their best, even 
though sometimes their best isn't enough.  Other devote their childhood to go to school and just fool around 
and do immature things.
        It is at school where the low self-esteem sometimes starts.  Students go to school and they 
sometimes try their best.  They get homeworks that sometimes take about 3 hours to do.  Soon they run out 
of energy because they never have time to act like young people and have fun.  Sometimes they try their 
best, but their best isn't enough.
        Students are young and they deserve less work and a little more free time.  With so much 
homework they don't have time to relax.  By the end of the school year they are just out of it.  Summer 
vacation gives them a chance to rest and get ready for the next school year.
        Now, people are trying to make school all year long.  School is for 10 months and now it may 
become 12 months.  People believe what causes young people to commit crimes is too much free time.  
This isn't really the problem.  The problem is that there are not many jobs out there for young people. 
When they earn their own money, they learn responsibility and sometimes start getting off the streets.  We 
need more jobs for students.  
        If the school year becomes all year long students will not go to school as much.  They might rebel 
and not even go to school.  They might start making their own vacation.  School is already too long and 
parents want it to be longer, but it's the students that suffer.  The students are the ones who don't get 
enough sleep.  
        Will the people allow this?  Will they let the students lower their self-esteem and overwork 
themselves?
                                            Article by Roberto Carlos Martinez