Courtney White has been teaching at Alvarado High School for the past four years. She recently posted a TikTok video declaring, "Students do enough work at school, they don't need more at home." The story has received national attention with many people questioning her strategy.
Mrs. White, 27, explained that many educators have no-homework policies, they just aren't publicly discussed. She went on to say:
“There’s no proof that homework is going to make them better students in my class. I respect their time outside of class ... It’s extra practice, sure. But it's not practice if they’re doing it wrong. It’s not good practice if they’re cheating. It’s not good practice if they’re having someone else do it. Most of my students have jobs, they have sports, they’re in band. They have other responsibilities outside of school. Some of them are going home and taking care of their younger siblings, because their parents are at work. So if I also give them hours of homework, when do they have time to be kids? When do they have time to relax?”
She defended her decision in an Instagram post.
I wish Mrs. White had been my English teacher when I was in school!