Nearly over 78% of students participate in after school or extracurricular activities in the US as of today.

While it is important for a young adolescent to become involved in some form of an extracurricular, to make something of the such mandatory is unneeded and inconvenient for many. Taking part in a extra activities requires many resources which some people can't afford or simply don't have. For a student to become apart of something, it should be at their own free will and not because someone of higher status makes it not optional. With forcing these students into all of these different subjects and areas it can create issues with money for low income families, time consumption, student transportation, and student's overall mental health and happiness.

With families who struggled with income or have budgetary issues, this new rules could be extremely challenging. For those who are on the free or reduced lunch plan, it's even more likely that they wont be able to place their child into an extracurricular due to costs. Activities such as sports, dance, theater, and clubs cost money, something many don't have much of. Whether it's to simply enroll your child in the sport, to pay for dance shoes, or to buy supplies it always comes down to some sort of price. Even if a family is not struggling with funding, many see it as unnecessary to spend money on something their child truly doesn't wish to participate in.

It isn't uncommon for students who live in larger families with younger siblings to watch after the younger children. Many students who are apart of extracurricular often don't have this job nor need to be home earlier due to this reason. When students are forced to spend their free time at a practice or rehearsal, this creates conflict within the household dynamic. Without the children there to watch after their younger siblings or to perform everyday chores such as cleaning up after the house or tending to a farm if the student were to live in the more rural areas, it causes the family to have to search for daycare or hire an extra hand which is not only costly but also stressful.

Not only is it time that is an issue, but transportation is also a main concern. Many parents or legal guardians travel and work for several hours, often getting home late. If children are at extracurricular while their parents work, this means there is no one who is available to pick them up or provide transportation to such activity or back home. While carpooling or busing may be an option in specific areas, this does not apply to students who do not have access to said buses or who live in extremely rural areas, further from the school or activity site.

Joining an outside group or involving yourself in a social setting where one participates in a hobby may be healthy and is encouraged, but just because it is pushed for does not mean it should be mandatory. The decision to devote ones time, money, and effort to such a consuming thing should be a personal and willing choice. Forcing a student to become apart of the student counsel or to play a sport may seem like the healthy option and makes them involved in something, but sometimes this can be damaging to a student. If the child is unhappy with what they've been put into, and are forced to participate in this activity several times a week, it's bound to create some form of an issue with the student over time. It can cause depression or irritation, with one being forced into something that doesn't truly bring them joy which may both effect the students personal life and scholastic performance.

Becoming apart of an extracurricular activity should be a free willing, and personal choice that fits for both students and their families. This should revolve around the students wishes and not those of someone who does not know each child's personal situation. Forcing one into something they did not choose for themselves has very few positive effects and is bound to do more harm than good for each individual and their families. Enlisting each and every child into activities outside of school causes too many conflicts with time, money, transportation, and a student's overall well being. Although it's encouraged to participate in an extracurricular, it should not be made mandatory for students.