The Hindu : International : Homework takes teacher to court

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 31, 2005

International

International

Homework takes teacher to court

By Richard Luscombe

MIAMI, JAN. 30. Schoolboy Peer Larson has made himself so popular with his classmates at Whitnall High School that some of them are wearing T-shirts bearing his picture.

The teenager has taken a step that is the stuff of childish fantasies — he's taking his maths teacher to court to try to stop him dishing out too much homework. In the latest example of what critics say is an out-of-control "compensation culture" in the United States, Larson claims his summer holidays were ruined by too much calculus.

The 17-year-old from Greenfield, Wisconsin, is suing both his advance calculus teacher, Aaron Bieniek, and his school. "There's not supposed to be any work when someone is on vacation," he said. "It should be my time to pursue whatever I like without having the school following me when it's not even the school year."

The worry of three complicated maths projects hanging over him ruined his enjoyment of his 40-hour-a-week job as a summer camp counsellor last year. "Not too many people were exactly happy with it. Nobody really likes to do homework, especially during the summer," he said.

The lawsuit seeks to restrict homework to the regulated 180 days of the school year and has made Larson and his father, Bruce, minor celebrities in their hometown.

"Some of his classmates have pulled our picture off the Internet and printed them on T-shirts that they're now wearing to school," Mr. Bruce Larson said.

Officials furious

But officials of the Whitnall School Board, named as a co-defendant in the action, are furious at having to devote time and resources to defending the "frivolous" lawsuit and want the Larsons reprimanded or fined.

In a written response to the action in Milwaukee's county court, Wisconsin Attorney-General, Peggy Lautenschlager, told judges the State "has no authority to implement any policy regarding course assignments" and reminded them it had the power to abolish summer vacation altogether and hold year-round classes if it chose. —

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