Many students believe their school starts too early. But how early really is too early? Many complain that they have to wake up, get ready for school and get there before the sun is even up. Their work sufferers, and the minute they get home, most just want to take a nap.

Andrew Haglund, a freshman at BPHS, says that school could start a bit later. He feels not only he but other students do not get enough sleep.

Cheyann Nguyen, also a BPHS freshman, feels the day starts too early and that her work could be greatly improved by simply getting a bit more sleep in the mornings. By fifth period, she feels drained and wishes we would start a bit later.

¨That’s wild,¨ she said when talking about our BPHS start time, 7:25 a.m, in comparison to other schools who on average start at 8 a.m.

Both Haglund and Nguyen think their work improves on days where school starts later, such as two-hour delay days. They both say they feel more refreshed, get more done, and pay more attention. Just a better day in general.

Students are not the only ones who believe school starts too early. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that students in high school and middle school should start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. This will allow students to be more focused and attentive. This would also help to improve lateness as students are less likely to sleep in.

About 90% of parents report that their teens are not getting enough sleep and 60% of teenagers say they are extremely tired throughout the day as shown on Americanprogress.org.

Teens are hardwired to stay up later and sleep in longer. With a start time of 7:25 a.m., students are forced to go against what their brain is pre-trained to do.

This debate has been around for many years but now is the time to take action. This leaves us with one simple question, How early really is too early?

Enjoy this classic scene from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” which iconically illustrates how tired students are.