Canadian School System Outdated?

Why Don't Schools Run Like
The Rest Of The Working World?

There is much said in the press lately about the local school board considering all manner of options in order to operate within their budget. I offer the following for serious consideration, realizing it will meet with much resistance.

Here's an idea. Has anyone actually looked into the overall cost of running the school year like the rest of the working world?

I wonder what would happen if the school year were extended and only included two weeks of holidays for students?

It would seem logical that with a more intense program, you could shorten the overall length of years to graduate with the equivalent of a grade 12 education. In fact I bet there are many students who are more than capable of learning the whole grade 12 equivalent in far fewer years. The whole program is not geared for above average students, I doubt if it is really geared for the average student's ability.

This whole notion of two months off in the summer goes back to the time when Canadians were earning their living on the farms, and all able bodies were needed at home during the summer. That is hardly the case now.

Yet like all things men do, tradition is strongly clung too and change is uncomfortable. After all who doesn't like the idea of having two months off in the summer and another week or two at Christmas and again in the spring? Not to mention those PD days during the season. Why would a teacher want to change that?

From a students perspective, I am sure many would just as soon not go to school and most I am sure are quite happy with the present 'days off' structure.

It would also make the need for child care in the summer a thing of the past.

I realize this suggestion will not be well received, but I believe truly does have merit on it's own.