Lawmaker Wants School Start Delay

The Associated Press

Last Modified: 8/25/2004

ATLANTA (AP) -- Would you support moving back the start of the school year in Georgia? One state legislator says he's getting complaints from parents and teachers about how early students started back to school this year.

Representative Joe Wilkinson, of Sandy Springs, says most teachers in the metro Atlanta area had to report back by August 2, with students back on August 9.

Wilkinson says school systems have admitted they could adjust the start date by at least one week. And, he thinks systems can do more than that.

Wilkinson says the air would be cleaner if less cars were on the road in August. In his words, "The main thing is trying to keep families together and letting children enjoy summer."

Proponents of an early start date say it puts local school systems more in line with the college schedule for summer school so that teachers who need to can attend classes.

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved