While Lowell students are among the most hardworking students in San Francisco, we are also among the most stressed. With tests perpetually on the horizon and a homework load that never seems to lighten, we deserve sympathy and support. Even one night free from homework would relieve student anxiety.

On Nov. 3, math teacher Bruce Cohen and English teacher Jennifer Moffitt released a joint email to faculty members via SchoolLoop asking other teachers to join them in giving seniors the weekend following Friday, Nov. 18, free from homework. The purpose of the proposed break was to give seniors a chance to work on UC applications, due at the end of November. “My advice to students has been to file the application well before the deadline,” Cohen said. “I decided to ‘put my money where my mouth is’ and use a homework free weekend to encourage students to take the advice seriously.”

However, seniors are not the only ones who would benefit from a break from homework. Removing homework on occasional but regular nights for all students could reduce stress and give overwhelmed youths a much-needed chance to get back on their feet. Lowell students might use the time to watch TV, snooze on the couch, or get ahead in class; however they choose to spend it, they will be able to relax. We encourage teachers to coordinate designated no-homework nights.

Homework aids learning to some extent, but also has drawbacks. The subject of homework has been extensively researched through numerous studies. Books like The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish use academic research, and interviews with educators, parents and children to prove the negative effect homework has on our lives, depriving us of exercise, play and sleep time, activities teenagers require more then ever in this developing stage of our lives. “It’s crucial for teens to get plenty of rest because they are still growing,” Community Health Outreach Worker Lauren Reyes said.

Many students come to the Wellness Center, and Reyes has heard repeated complaints that the homework load is too heavy, making students feel helpless. “A no-homework night would give students a chance to step back, and have a clearer sense of what they need to do,” Reyes said.

Large amounts of homework detract from the time students can spend with their families or engage in personal activities, which can lead to consequences for their mental health. “No homework days will rejuvenate our minds and make us do better in class the next day. They would benefit not just students, but also teachers,” freshman Kate Colebrook said.

Arranging specific no-homework days at the start of the year would allow teachers to plan accordingly. This would avoid the risk of students falling behind or teachers failing to get through the scheduled curriculum. Educators would determine the number and timing of the work-free evening. Having three no-homework nights per semester, one in each grading period, would be a practical way of integrating the idea into the school calendar. These days should occur in periods with few holiday breaks or special schedule days for maximum impact. “If there were no-homework nights, students could catch up on work and teachers could catch up on grading,” senior Olivian Wong said.

The administration has maintained a very hands-off policy on homework throughout the years, leaving teachers to make their own decisions on when and how much to assign. Therefore, it is the department heads and teachers who would ultimately devise and implement these days. “It has to be a well orchestrated plan,” Biology teacher Theodore Johnson said. “Teachers need to sit down and talk about no homework nights. I don’t believe that the administration can impose them on us, we’ll have to agree.”

The proposal of a homework-free weekend yielded uneven results, as in a quick and informal straw poll, several seniors said homework was assigned as normal in their classes, while others cited that some teachers had purposefully lifted the load, although the timing varied between the weekend of Nov. 18 and Thanksgiving break.

No-homework nights that can be managed in a way that will not interrupt learning are a viable option for giving students a chance to catch their breath in our high-pressure and high-stress high school environment.

A version of this article first appeared in the Dec. 8, 2011 print edition of The Lowell.