With 15 straight weeks of school without a break,as the Shelby County school calendar now stands, students and teachers are not at their best.

A fall break like the one up for consideration by the Shelby County Board of Education this Thursday is a good idea.

The board will be considering a school calendar with a break from Oct. 11-15 in addition to the traditional spring break.

Statistics have shown that with a fall break, students require less disciplinary action.

A teacher’s representative said that a teacher after a break is also more refreshed and enthusiastic and able to teach youngsters who are not bouncing off the walls.

Polls conducted by the Shelby County Education Association and an on-line survey on the Shelby County Board of Education’s website show strong support among teachers, parents and students for the fall break.

Negative remarks come from working parents who are concerned about day care. But for those parents, the school system will offer day care for a fee during the fall break as it does for other school breaks.

But the purpose of the school system is not day care.

Schools are charged with the job of educating children. And if a fall break makes that task easier for teachers and better for students, then it would be a great mistake for the Board of Education not to take this positive step.

The fall break does not mean more time off for students, but a different time off for students.

And parents who chose to

take their vacations in the fall may find it a lot cheaper to get away for family togetherness time. Then everyone will be refreshed.

At least one school board member has said the fall break included in the proposed calendar will lead to a lot of happy parents, students, teachers and principals.

Go on, give ’em a break