Can you believe that on average 60% of students do not participate in an after school activity? I know I can, I'm apart of that 60%. Can you also believe that the principal has decided that all students must participate in at least one extracurricular activity? Now this is unbelievable, many students, including myself, are extremely busy and simply don't have time to stay after school. It's hard trying to juggle schoolwork, social life, family life, and personal problems, let alone adding one more ball to your juggling circus act by staying after school. I know that staying after school and participating in extracurricular activities can have many benefits, like finding new interests and making new friends, but many students don't have the possibility to stay after school due to their busy schedules. I completely disagree with the principal that all students must participate in at least one extracurricular activity due to the fact that some students are busy and don't have time, others participate in other activities outside of school, and it would cost the school more money to fund the activities.

One reason why I disagree with the principal about staying after school is that many students don't have the opportunity to stay after school due to them being busy outside of school. Many students have commitments and responsibilities outside of school, such as going to work,or taking care of a younger sibling, which serve as an impediment and prohibits the student from staying after school. If these students were demanded by the principal that they have to stay after school, then these students would end up losing not only their jobs, but the trust and responsibilities their bosses and parents have put for them as well. Many students do not like the idea of staying after school due to the fact that it would cause more stress on them by trying to keep up with school, work, after school, family life, etc. From all the stress they would be receiving it could cause a toll on their mental health as well as their physical health, and could cause them to do poorly in school, as well as in other areas of their life. I know parents would not want this for their children, and would not want for them to risk their jobs, responsibilities, and especially their health all for an extra activity after school that they are too busy for.

Like the students who are busy, there are many students that can not participate in an extracurricular activity after school because they are already participating in other activities outside of school. Many students participate in sports, where they are in a club or league and they have to make it to practice or compete in tournaments after school. Other students go to academies for tutoring so they can get extra help in school, or to enhance their learning and advance in their studies. Some students also participate in different programs offered by the community, such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girls and Boys Club, music programs, environmental programs,etc. Typically these programs have meetings almost everyday which members of these clubs have to attend. In many cases students are in more than one of these activities after school that take up almost all their time, and therefore they cannot commit to any more after school activities.

Not only would staying after school for an extracurricular activity affect the students, but it would also affect the school as well as the school's budget due to the fact that the school will need to spend more money to fund all of the activities. The more sports and activities the school offers and needs to add to fit everyone in at least one activity, the more the school will have to spend on adding activities as well as any equipment needed for those activities. Not to mentions with all these activities we need experienced teachers and coaches to assess with all the students and run the activities. With teachers having to stay after school they would have to get paid for those extra hours they have worked. You also have to take into consideration transportation. How are the students going to get home after school? Many parents are still busy working and might not have time to pick their child up, others might not even have a car. Yes, you can get enough buses to transport everyone back home, but more after school buses means spending more money on drivers and buses. With all this money being spent for after school there won't be enough money to spend and fund activities for the actual school day, which in my opinion more important than after school.

In conclusion, I disagree with the principal that all students must participate in at least one extracurricular activity because some students are busy and don't have time, others participate in other activities outside of school, and it would cost the school more money to fund activities. The principal needs to take into consideration these reasonings and consider the viewpoints and opinions of students, staff, and administrators to change their decision on making everyone stay after school, and instead change their proposal so it can fit everyone's needs.