On the night of Tuesday, November 27th, 2018, a unanimous vote took place within the Virginia Beach School Board, changing the start times of Virginia Beach public schools for the 2020-2021 school year. This decision was made specifically with the idea that high schoolers need more rest.

VBCPS currently starts all of their high schools at 7:20 a.m. and they end at 2:10 p.m. There is no new designated time plan in place, but ideas are circulating in the school board for how to be the most efficient with buses, parents, kids, and money. Many of these ideas include switching the middle and high school times, the elementary and high school times, or just going in the order of elementary, middle, and then high school. All of these ideas require many more buses than the system currently has, and cost around $1 million.

Students had a lot to say about the changes, specifically current freshmen and sophomores, whom this change will directly affect.

“I strongly disagree about said time changes,” says freshman and EBA student, Chavi Allen. “It’s the student’s responsibility to get up early and get to school on time. I’d personally rather go to school earlier and get out earlier than get in later and out later.”

When asked about after-school activities, Allen spoke strongly against the later start times, reminiscing about his days getting out late in middle school. “I know in middle school when we went to school at nine, I wouldn’t get home until six or six-thirty because of after-school activities. High school students would be facing the same time schedule as this. Many students who attend the EBA or AP classes depend heavily on the fact that we get out earlier.” 

Allen, along with being an EBA student, is also heavily involved in drama club, soccer, DECA, and he’s the secretary of the FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America).

“It’s almost certain, that instead of helping out our sleep schedule, we would indirectly harm it majorly.”

Athena Springer, sophomore, commented on the job aspect of the school start times, saying “High school is trying to set us up for if we have an early job in the future.”

She also spoke about after-school activities. “I’m in marching band, and we need more time to practice. We can’t practice when it’s basically night.” When asked whether she thought it would be an overall good or bad thing, her response was still job-focused. “It’s a bad thing; because jobs aren’t going to start later just because you’re tired.”

Many people are worried about the problems posed by this vote. High schoolers are worried about after-school activities getting pushed back, not being able to get jobs, and ultimately not accomplishing anything; still getting the same amount of sleep every night, which is barely any. They are also worried about generally not having any time to do things for themselves anymore as a result of school and activities getting pushed back, as well as also having the elevated homework load of a high schooler, compared to a middle schooler who currently gets out late.

Chavi Allen poses an interesting outlook on the future of high schoolers as these changes develop and progress towards being implemented into everyday lives.

“I wouldn’t want a generation of high school students to become slaves to their books in order to maintain grades, and do regular, everyday functionalities.”

Edit: An earlier version of this article had Chavi Allen listed as the treasurer of the FBLA. He is the secretary.