Skip to main content
More Homework, Heavier Books, Sore Shoulders

More Homework, Heavier Books, Sore Shoulders

183 signatures 67 to reach 250
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
S
Someone signed
Started by Anonymous 24 years, 4 months ago
Reduction and/or regulation of the weight of school textbooks is necessary. Each school year millions of children walk to, from and around school carrying backpacks filled with textbooks and materials. Back to school should not mean backaches and pains, but for students who use backpacks, it could mean a visit to a clinic, a hospital, or even an emergency room. Everyone from parents to school administration staffs have started to voice concern about safe weights of backpacks. Backpack-related injuries have increased 256 percent since 1996. In 2000, the Consumer Product Safety Commission tracked visits to physician offices, clinics, and hospital emergency rooms related to backpacks. Children 3-11 years old had a total of 5,531 visits. Children 12-17 years old visited 6,960 times, while students ages 18-21 had 773 visits. In 2001, of the 6,512 children treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to backpacks, 54 percent, 3,524, involved children ages five to fourteen. Among the undersigned are students, parents, teachers, school administrators, and doctors who acknowledge that lighter textbooks in schools are essential and would prevent a majority of backpack-related health problems.

Updates

June 10, 2007

Seeing this grow makes me feel the exhaustion of the past few months a little less. It is clear I am not the only one tired of watching students suffer through these heavy loads.

June 10, 2007

The stories shared here about chronic back pain and stress are exhausting to read but they remind me exactly why we started this. I have been spending my nights drafting emails to the school board and honestly the silence from their end is difficult to face. I am tired of fighting this uphill battle but I am not stopping until the weight of these books is addressed.

Reached 100 supporters

June 10, 2007

6 Comments

J
Jessica Wilson
24 years ago Featured

why do they even need the whole book every day? half the time they dont even open them in class. waste of paper and bad for spines.

E
Elena Pratt
24 years ago Featured

it is just heartbreaking to see little kids hunched over like old men just to get to their bus stop. enough is enough.

T
Tom Robinson
24 years ago Featured

schools need to get with the times. tablets or digital copies would solve this whole thing instantly. stop breaking our kids backs over paper.

M
Mark Hayes
24 years ago Featured

THESE BOOKS ARE WAY TOO HEAVY. fix it now before our kids end up with permanent back issues when they get older.

D
David Webb
24 years ago Featured

My son is only 9 and already has posture issues from hauling that massive bag around. Get some lockers or put the stuff online.

S
Sarah Turner
24 years ago Featured

My daughter complains about her back hurting every single day. She is in 6th grade and her bag weighs more than she does. This is ridiculous.

Help this petition grow

Share it with friends to help reach 250 signatures.

Your share link

Share directly