LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Reader questions lengthening school day

Dear Editor,

Today I had a message on my answering machine about the survey on the [Chesterfield County Public Schools'] Web site. The school board is considering lengthening the school day to allow the teaching of 21st century skills along with the Virginia Standards of Learning.

My question is: Why add instructional time to the school day when the time they already have is not being used for instruction? In an elementary school in my area, a kindergarten teacher has shown at least four full-length Disney animated feature films since the beginning of the school year. That is approximately seven hours in which the kids, while entertained, were not learning. If kids could be educated by watching Disney movies, school would have been abolished long ago. The movies were shown during regular instructional time, not during recess.

In addition to the fact that kids are not learning anything SOL-related by watching "The Little Mermaid," there is the fact that, unless the county has paid for a license to show these movies to an audience, the teachers are breaking the law. According to the Fair Use Act, teachers may show movies only in faceto face instruction, and only when the film is directly related to the topic being taught.

A teacher who shows "Tarzan" when the kids are learning the letter "T" is reaching very far. I understand that there are times when students need to be kept busy, and films provide an easy answer. I also know that this issue is not unique to Chesterfield County. Maybe the teachers need to have additional time on their contract in which to plan lessons and grade papers. Adding instructional time will only add work for the teachers, who in turn, will continue to use movies as a means to entertain kids while they catch up.

I do not support additional instructional time. If the school day is lengthened, it should be to provide a recess, even in middle and high school, to encourage physical activity.
Bea Cantor
Midlothian