Fallon proposal to cut school week to four days opposed

FALLON -- A school district's budget-cutting proposal to shorten the school week from five to four days is drawing opposition from some parents.

The state's budget crunch is prompting the Churchill County School District to study the impact of closing schools on Fridays and extending school hours the other days.

Rick Grady, a father of four, said the plan would adversely affect students who take part in extracurricular activities.

Students would have to spend two more hours in classes between Monday and Thursday under the proposal, he noted.

"It's just horrid," he said. "Two more hours (per day) takes away time they have for Fallon youth sports."

The proposal also would make it difficult for parents who work Fridays to find child care, Grady said.

Elizabeth Parrott said she thinks it would be extremely difficult for teachers to hold students' attention for another two hours a day.

"I believe we would be doing the children of Fallon a disservice by making them get on the bus even earlier and getting home even later," she wrote by e-mail.

Angie Frazee accused the school district of mismanaging funds and not putting students' education first.

"It's going to cause a lot of hate and discontent in the school district," she said.

Other parents maintained the proposal would leave students insufficient time for homework and teachers with less time to prepare.