Illustration by Pushart; Debate photos courtesy of families

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Should We Stop Changing the Clocks?

Most kids in the U.S. will soon have less time to play outside before it gets dark. That’s because daylight saving time (DST) ends on November 3. People in most states will set their clocks back one hour. They’ll “fall back” to what’s called standard time. When DST starts again in March, people will “spring forward” by moving their clocks ahead an hour.

Why the back-and-forth? DST was introduced in the U.S. in 1918 as a way to save energy. Because the sun sets later during DST, the idea was that people would rely on sunlight instead of electricity to light their homes longer.

Today many Americans don’t think changing the clocks is such a bright idea. Critics of the time change point out that Hawaii and most of Arizona are always on standard time. They argue that our bodies are used to being on standard time and that moving our clocks forward and back can disrupt our sleep patterns. 

But others like switching to DST. They say the extra hour of daylight encourages people to be more active after work and school. Others argue that DST can help businesses because people stay out later.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

We don’t have DST in Hawaii, and people here do just fine following standard time year-round. I don’t think other states need to switch to DST either. Having to change the clocks twice a year must be confusing. What if people forget? They could be late for work or school. 

Changing the clocks could also mess up people’s sleep schedules. When kids don’t get enough rest, they may not do their best in class. I know I get grumpy if I don’t sleep well!

It’s beneficial to change the clocks a couple of times each year. In the fall, we gain an extra hour of sleep on the night we turn back our clocks. And in the spring, it’s nice to have extra daylight in the evening to do things like play outside or run errands. For me, it means I can play lacrosse after school when it’s still light outside. 

DST may also save lives. Some studies have found that the number of car accidents drops during DST because drivers can see better in the evening. 

What does your class think?

Should we stop changing the clocks?

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