A short spring break, despite backlash from many students, is one of the most beneficial decisions this school board has ever made. The typical second week of break was seemingly unnecessary and only served the purpose of cutting into our school year and shortening the amount of summer vacation days.

While many students and their families chose in the past to use a week out of spring break to travel, and many are complaining that this year they won’t have time to do so. There was plenty of time over winter break to go on vacation, and there will be over even more opportunities to get out of town over summer. Sure, we all need a break, but what harm will a few more weeks of the St. Louis area really do?

As students in the FHSD, we are incredibly lucky to have as many days off as we do throughout the year. Our teachers and administrators have over 20,000 students to educate throughout the school year, and every second of that year they use is vital. By cutting the last week of spring break, we’ve been allowed to get out of school for the summer a few days earlier.

If a student can’t be responsible enough to complete their homework within a week, how do their grades survive in day-to-day life while school is in session? How students use their time outside of school is up to them. We, as students, have a commitment to ourselves, our schools and our education system as a whole to take the time out of our lives and get our work done.

By taking away that extra week of spring break, our district officials are working in our best interest. Not only will we be in school to do our job, to learn, but we’ll also be out of school that much sooner. Generations of students in the past have gone with short breaks, and even no spring break at all. Students in the FHSD should consider themselves lucky they even get a break at all.