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Kids waiting for the bus in the dark is a legitimate concern. But growing research suggest that school start times are too early in this country to begin with. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that schools should not begin class before 8:30 a.m. The concern that kids are waiting for the bus in darkness should be directed to school districts in this country who are starting classes before 8:30am, and who are not adhering to the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations.
In my part of the country most schools do start classes at around 8:30. But because we only have one district in the county many of them are getting on the bus in the dark anyway due to the distance they have to travel.
If there is a switch to permanent DST, then Indiana needs to switch to central time. Our sunrise much of the winter wouldn't be until after 9AM and that does not sound appealing, even if it does happen to be light until a bit after 6 PM. There are enough 2-hour delays now due to snow and ice to try to get daylight to help the situation. I can't imagine if we had to wait even another hour for the sun to rise.
In my part of the country most schools do start classes at around 8:30. But because we only have one district in the county many of them are getting on the bus in the dark anyway due to the distance they have to travel.
People who grew up in the city and had all their schools in the same neighborhood have no idea what it's like for rural kids.
There are even a few entire counties here in Texas that either have no school district of their own, or only have an elementary school, and are busing kids from the sticks there to a town in the next county over.
I have a bit of a night-owlish nature myself, hardened further by jobs with odd hours, but I recognize that humans aren't naturally nocturnal animals, and the Circadian rhythm is really a thing. That's really why the time changes are hard on people to begin with.
If there is a switch to permanent DST, then Indiana needs to switch to central time. Our sunrise much of the winter wouldn't be until after 9AM and that does not sound appealing, even if it does happen to be light until a bit after 6 PM. There are enough 2-hour delays now due to snow and ice to try to get daylight to help the situation. I can't imagine if we had to wait even another hour for the sun to rise.
Indiana wouldn't need to change time zones if they made daylight saving time permanent. Under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, states have the option to opt out of daylight saving time. So Indiana could join Arizona and Hawaii in observing year-round standard time. The beauty of making Daylight Saving Time permanent is that states would still have the option to opt out if they wanted to. The only thing the federal government would ensure by making DST permanent is that the biannual time changes go away... apart from that leave it in the states hands what time they want to observe (ie. year-round standard time or year-round DST).
People who grew up in the city and had all their schools in the same neighborhood have no idea what it's like for rural kids.
There are even a few entire counties here in Texas that either have no school district of their own, or only have an elementary school, and are busing kids from the sticks there to a town in the next county over.
I have a bit of a night-owlish nature myself, hardened further by jobs with odd hours, but I recognize that humans aren't naturally nocturnal animals, and the Circadian rhythm is really a thing. That's really why the time changes are hard on people to begin with.
Wouldn't it be a better solution for Texas to up their game education-wise or to have a better transport plan for children, than for the entire country to accommodate their deficiencies?
All schools are not in the same neighborhood as the students in a lot of places. I grew up in a suburban northeaster town, and we had a bus ride to school--probably 20 minutes. I don't think that is very good reason to keep daylight saving time.
It was not about school kids when it was begun--it was about saving energy. No longer applies. It was done for reasons not relevant now, like the electoral college. Time to update for the modern world.
Last edited by Enigma777; 03-21-2019 at 04:10 PM..
Wouldn't it be a better solution be for Texas to up their game education-wise or to have a better transport plan for children, than for the entire country to accommodate their deficiencies?
That would involve forcibly relocating people into larger population centers.
I'm all about Texas upping its game in regards to education, but this is a total nonstarter.
For that matter, why should they accommodate your desire to have another hour of semi-sunlight in December, when chances are it's cold and you're probably inside anyway?
That would involve forcibly relocating people into larger population centers.
I'm all about Texas upping its game in regards to education, but this is a total nonstarter.
For that matter, why should they accommodate your desire to have another hour of semi-sunlight in December, when chances are it's cold and you're probably inside anyway?
It messes with everyone's biology, even our pets. It's not about having another hour. But you are incorrect. I live in Florida--plenty of sunlight and we are not necessarily inside--it's very warm outside here. Even in the winter it does not get dark until 6:30. Up north it is more like 4:30.
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Even in the winter it does not get dark until 6:30. Up north it is more like 4:30.
