Lazy Children Or Misplaced Priorities?

Contrary to some reports, most American students spend very little time doing homework.

By John Buell & Etta Kralovec

The American family took a hit where it could least stand it earlier this month. The Brookings Institution suggested that, contrary to some reports, most American students spend very little time doing homework. High school students spend less than an hour a day. This is the major reason American students score consistently lower than their major foreign competitors. American parents should stop whining about homework and spend more time helping their kids to do more homework. Otherwise, they can sit back and watch their children fail in the global marketplace. ( "Homework Not on Rise, Studies Find," Oct. 8, 2003.)

Since we were among the major "whiners," it is hard not to take this message personally. Yet, before demanding that we issue our mea culpa s, reporters and the major media should do their homework and scrutinize every aspect of this Brookings report.

The Brookings study argues that with the exception of a few whiners, most Americans are either satisfied with the amount of homework their children are doing or even want more. The authors cite a survey-research study by Public Agenda that asked Americans that very question. Yet they fail to tell us that another survey report by Public Agenda, in which parents were asked if homework was a source of conflict in their families, showed that 50 percent of American families reported conflicts over homework, and a third found homework a...