Requiring students to attend at least one extracurricular activity is not only making it difficult for students, but for teachers too. Extracurricular activities are enjoyable, but should every student be required to participate in at least one? The principal's decision on extracurricular is debatable, but I disagree with him/her because it could cause stress, may be overwhelming, and could effect bus schedules.

Enforcing this decision can cause stress. The increasing amount of pressure will be added on to what students already have. For example, parents already expect a lot out of you. The pressure that students receive by trying to live up to their parents expectations is an excessive amount. So, if we add extracurricular activities to the student's agenda, you will also have to live to up to your coach or teacher's expectations. Continuously adding pressure on students will eventually lead to stress. The stress that is building up, will bring forth less sleep. Requiring students to attend an extracurricular activity will be unfortunate for students and teachers. Students will arrive home late with less time to do homework. The homework could take all night which will lead to less sleep. If this keeps up, grades may start to drop because focusing in class will be difficult due to fewer hours of sleep. Teachers will also be affected by this. Teachers will have to lead clubs with twice the amount of students in a class. This will cause stress on teachers because they are not used to this. Teachers will also arrive home late with less time to grade papers and spend with family. Enforcing the principal's decision on extracurricular activities could bring stress not only on students, but also on teachers.

In addition to an increasing amount of stress, the work load may be overwhelming. First off, teachers will have to do extra work. They will have to plan for six periods of a school day. Since it is mandatory for every student to participate in an extracurricular activity, teachers will also have to plan clubs so that everyone has something to do. If a teacher is absent, the teacher will have to create a to-do list or guideline for the substitute for every period. He/she will also have to create a plan for the substitute for the after-school club he/she is hosting. Another example, is that students may be participating in sports outside of school along with their after-school club. Students get home late with fewer amount of hours to do homework or with family. As students age, their homework also stacks. This also will lead to less sleep. If extracurricular was not mandatory, they could've done their homework during the time they arrive home and leave for sports practice.

Another reason why I disagree with mandatory extracurricular, is that it will effect not only the students and the teachers, but also the buses. Nevertheless, it will completely mess up the bus schedule. Since it is the principal trying to enforce this new regulation, it is only happening at one school. While other school are going home, this school will be staying. When after-school is over they need to pick up the whole school. So it isn't the usual three to five late buses, but around thirty buses will have to come pick up the students. As the thirty buses come pick up the students, other buses will have to pick up other schools that ends at a different time. Around the time of pick up, there will be light traffic on the roads because of parents coming from work. Since there are buses on the roads now, it will become heavy traffic and students will arrive home late.

Having extracurricular activities is a great thing, but making it mandatory for every student will make it harder on students, teachers, and the school board.