Hot town, summer in the city

(lyrics from "Summer in the City - The Lovin' Spoonful.")

On the Eckington e-list there is a conversation about "contested spaces" and much increased hanging out, drinking etc. amongst teens and young adults. Of course, this is an every summer phenomenon, and if you recall the summer is when UUVs (unauthorized use of vehicles) skyrockets in places like Ward 7.

This is one of the reasons that for a few years, I've promoted the idea of lengthening the school year, and switching to a year round school year. Of having certain libraries be open later in the summer (and the central library all year)--if you can have midnight basketball leagues, why not have other activities open later as well, including the recreation center. Hours for these public facilities and assets should focus on the needs of the public and the need to achieve multiple positive outcomes and public policy goals simultaneously.

This is from the 3/16/2005 issue of themail:

Ted Knutson asks [themail, March 13]: “if youth crime goes up on days when the schools are closed for snow (or the prediction of snow)?” How about being concerned about the reduction in opportunity to learn?

One way to “reduce youth crime,” and more importantly to expand the community’s capacity to learn and grow, would be to expand the school year. If the average DC student starts off behind, let’s provide more time in school (N.B., I do understand that more of the same things not working isn’t necessarily better, but I have hopes that the curricular changes that are coming will be positive).

Suggestion One: how about a 210 or 220 day school year instead of 180 days? What better way to demonstrate DC’s commitment to K-12 education?

Suggestion Two: consider adopting a year-round school calendar. This could have at least three benefits, one that Ted would find of interest. 1) better utilization of school facilities that would require fewer school buildings overall; 2) elimination of the 2.5 month long summer break, which is a period where youth crime does increase; and 3) helping improve learning outcomes by reducing the time required for catch up and review in each subsequent year.