Summer, the rare moment in a student’s life when they are able to relax, have fun and spend days as they please. Then all of a sudden, wham students nationwide are made to go through with the most demeaning, quite frankly awful task of all time: Summer Reading. 

Over the summer, English teachers district wide assign mandatory reading assignments that put a dark looming cloud over summer fun, leading students to put a pause on their well-deserved break. Out of the twelve months in a year, students are given only two months to take a break from continuous learning, in which teachers dare assign more work. 

Many kids beg the question: “What’s the point?” The truth of the matter is, there is none. An article from the Gifted Guru echoes these thoughts in a segment called “Why Schools Should Ditch Summer Assignments’ ‘ where Lisa Van Gemert, a parent and an educator shares her thoughts about summer assignments. 

“[Summer] is a needed rest from required learning. Summer assignments interrupt that rest and make a mockery of the word “vacation.”” Van Gemert states. 

Students are on the go for a majority of the year, always giving 100% until they are finally able to take a break for at least two months. To put things into perspective, that is only 1/6 of the year off. By adding summer work into the equation, teachers create an endless cycle of zero breaks and constant learning. 

“Instead of being outside climbing trees or curled up in a comfy chair with the latest book in their fave series or even just doing nothing, kids are hunched over summer assignments that range from math packets to required reading” Van Gemert said. 

Being that we are at school for so long, teachers should strive towards making school as interesting and exciting as possible. In which summer reading is the first misstep. In addition to the current students’ concerns, has any consideration been taken in regards to new students from different schools, states and or even countries? 

How are incoming students supposed to know that they are meant to be studying or preparing for the new school year? Van Gemert states it’s not fair to the students. 

“Not only do [they] feel behind before [they] even begin, [but they] may even feel that [they] don’t belong in the advanced class.” Van Gemert said. 

The summer assignments simply create stress for current students and incoming students. All students are stressed and to counter any arguments against summer reading, teachers defend their actions by stating that it allows students to retain knowledge and skills learned in the previous school year.

If this were the true purpose of summer reading then why do almost all English teachers allow a two to three week grace period in which students have the opportunity to get their summer reading done? 

Reading over the summer is pointless and the typical, provided grace period diminishes the work of the students who did complete the task of summer reading. It goes to show that there is no reason so why not just call it off completely – No More Summer Reading! If teachers were to end summer assignments students would truly be able to relax and enjoy their summer. Students would finally be able to return to class refreshed instead of stressed!