The Case Against Summer Vacation

This Time magazine article discusses misconceptions about the value of summer vacation, why summer vacation exists, and how it weakens the educational capabilities of at-risk youths.

All children, but especially low-income students, can fall into intellectual and social isolation during the summer. The author notes that idle summers put children at a disadvantage compared to non-US students who attend more days and hours of school; and it degrades the learning of children that do not have access to social, learning and creative activities during the summer.

Our most at-risk students find themselves with few summer program options and they often don’t live in communities conducive to playing outside. The author looks closely at why this situation exists and why it’s imperative to change how the U.S. thinks about the summer months.

Read the article to learn more about the philosophical hold of summer vacations on America’s culture, the origins of the tradition, and how perceptions of summer’s benefits are very different than the realities for many children.