You may think students should have to do an activity, but should they really be forced to? Students should not have to participate in an extracurricular activity be fore, after, or during school. Being forced into something makes kids want to do it less, and doesn't give them the freedom and choice they deserve to have. Extracurricular activities take time and some students may be busy with things like homework or, at this age, working for a little bit of spending money. They also take away from time that could be spent with their families and unwinding after their school day has ended.

Firstly, in middle school, kids are around the ages of 11-15, and they should be considered old enough to make their own decisions. Forcing somebody to do something is never considered a fun thing, or something you'd want yourself. This can lead to more misbehaving, and purposefully missing these activities. Giving the students the choice of doing an extracurricular activity would stop them from misbehaving or coming up with excuses to get out of something they may not want to do. And, let's face it, teenagers are at the stage where they would rather misbehave than listen to authorities, so it would be better to let them have their own choice in the matter.

Second, students may already be doing something after school everyday, meaning they don't have the time to do it in the afternoon. Some kids may have a lot of homework assigned to them by their teachers. Some students may already be doing a sport or activity after school that isn't for the school, maybe for the county or the town. Many students are given a lot of homework in middle school,or have plans after school. Which brings me to my next point.

Extracurricular activities take precious time away from students. This time could be better spent making stronger bonds with their family members, or hanging out with brothers or sisters. While some people may not have siblings, this point still stands. A lot of kids' families are busy, and the one day they aren't they may have a sport or an after school group meeting. Some kids may have family visiting that they only get to see a few times a year, and it would be better for them to spend time with their loved ones instead of running around and kicking or throwing a ball or sitting and talking about school issues.

In conclusion, students shouldn't have to do extracurricular activities or sports after school without their consent. They miss time that could be spent with their families, or time that could be used on their in school work or spent on activities they may have that aren't from the school. They also should have the choice to do what they would like to, as they are in middle school and are not just little kids anymore. While you may think this was a good idea, the students and I disagree, and would like our choices back. It would be best for the school's reputation amongst parents and their kids and it would be best for the students themselves to not have to participare in an extracurricular activity.