Gayle…
Any money from corporate lobbyists and child-care providers who will be swamped by families with 2 full-time working parents? I’m guessing your children are raised.

I’D LOVE A 4 DAY SCHOOL WEEK,I’LL PAY FOR DAYCARE,WITHOUT WHINNING,I DON’T SEND MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL TO BE BABYSITTED,THAT’S NOT WHAT SCHOOL IS FOR,IT’S TO EDUCATE THEM,SUCK IT UP AND QUIT EXPECTING THE GOVERMENT TO PROVIDE FOR YOU AND YOURS,ONE MORE TIME PEOPLE”SCHOOLS ARE NOT DAYCARES”YOU HAD THEM,YOU PAY FOR THEM

This is absolutely one of the dumbest ideas I have heard of, but since it’s coming from a politician, I’m not at all surprised. The kids are exhausted now when they get home, particularly those who participate in after-school activities. Now they will have even less time for the ever growing burden of home work. This solution to save money at the expense of the children is an absolute disgrace!

It isn’t about thinking that school is daycare, but a lot of people have no choice but to work a full 5 day work week. Find me a daycare that even has the choice of a 1 day/week program. If you find that program, then see how much it costs…per child. Think about having that unexpected amount taken each week out of your paycheck. It isn’t easy getting by already, now an added stressor for working families.

Since when did the schools become a daycare?? Parents remember school is for learning not to help you out while you work!

I don’t know what to think of this idea. TRUE–the schools are NOT daycare facilities to help parents out. Students who are tired from lots of homework, etc. will have an additional day to rest and do that homework, remember. Many students are involved in lots of activities at their schools. Maybe it’s time for students to pick and choose their favorites (or ambitious parents who drive their kids all over to every type of lesson there is should cut out some of it) so kids have some down time. I would expect with the other 4 days of school becoming longer, there should be study halls put into schedules or time in class for students to complete some of their homework. As long as this is an option and not made mandatory, you’ll just have to wait and see if your child’s district decides to go this route. It’s all about money and school districts feeling the monetary pinch may see this as a valuable alternative to keep their budgets in line.

First of all, ALL of my bills are paid!!! That said, I cannot afford child care for the 1 day/week that my child will be there. As a former child care provider, in order for day cares to offer that 1 day/week to you, you have to pay full-time rates, because they have to hold that spot for you, as they are only allowed so many children per provider. I am one of those parents who HAS to work 5 days/week in order to keep the lights on and my children fed, so that I don’t have to live off the gov’t. Adding child care to my monthly bills is going to be outside of my budget. Everyone wonders why people can’t live within their means, but yet, the gov’t will go and pass a bill like this forcing the already downtrodden taxpaying community to take on more debt!!!Also, to the person that said that they have to force parents to take care of their children 3 days per week vs 2, I don’t know where you are the other 5 days in the week, but I still have to care for my children even while at school. I have to worry about grades, lunches, behavior, and then when they get home, dinner, homework, baths, bedtime, etc. My parenting duties don’t stop when they get on that bus!

Daycare? It is very apparent in this city and county these kids can’t learn in a 5 day week (not like Missouri is leading he country in education). What is 4 days going to do? I will tell what it will do it gives students
(using that loosely around here) one free day while I am at work to burglarize my home. Aren’t schools, since the lost limit has been removed from casinos suppose to be getting more funding? So they need to cut back and start serving cheese sandwiches. This is adding up to one big crock of droppings. Further I would love to see kids in school from 8-5pm everyday 3-5pm mandatory school activity 52 weeks a year. I would rather them be in school than walking the streets, so put a leash on your kids so I don’t have to come home to nothing.

I think four days a week is a joke. Kids are off during the summer, they get long holiday breaks, now putting a four day school week, seriously? What are you thinking?
I agree with the one comment posted: Let these kids have a whole day off while normal people work a full time job and come home and find their house broken into. The kids are on the streets enought the way it is…. you can’t possibly tell me that these kids will be sitting at home doing homework. Plus, when did Missouri become the “Japan or China” outranking them in Math and Science? Keep these kids in the classroom to learn- this is our future generation, we don’t need a bunch of thugs running the country.

Why the extra day off anyway… can todays youth not handle a 5 day school week? Are we raising a generation of wimps here? Four whole days and they need 3 days off to recover?? Come on kids are not that weak and helpless…Considering how far behind american schools are as far as education goes shouldnt our kids be spending more time in school instead of skatboarding in parking lots, chatting on line and hanging out at Mcdonalds? They should be in school…PERIOD!!!!