Triton High School instituted a new homework policy this year that includes regulations on teachers regarding the amount of homework they give, and how much the homework percentage of a grade can count for.

Specifically, the new homework policy includes: homework cannot exceed 10 percent of a student’s grade, homework cannot be due on a holiday, routine practice that could be completed at another time in class may not be assigned as homework over the weekend, homework will be posted online by the High School in one of the systems agreed by the school, and due dates for assignments near a school vacation, students must be allowed to have adequate time to finish the assignments excluding the break period. Short term assignments must consist of two days or class periods before the break and may not be due the first day back from break. Long term assignments are not allowed to be assigned unless it is done so five days in advance of the school break and cannot have a due date until at the least the third day back from the vacation.

The new additions to the homework policy have sparked debates among the Triton community regarding homework. Kathy Norton is a math teacher at Triton High School who is on the school homework committee.

“By mandating a blanket percentage to every discipline, you are saying all classes and levels are the same,” said Norton. “Math is a different discipline from social studies. I don’t know how they deal with their homework, I don’t know how much homework they give out, but I do know social studies is different from math and should be treated that way.”

Aside from changing how much homework counts for, there were additional changes to the amount of homework that can be given out. Chad Richard, a history teacher at the high school, is also a part of the homework school committee.

Teachers should be able to make the call on what the appropriate amount is,” said Richard. “Leave it to the teachers. Most teachers know how to make the right call. I’m not a fan of anything that made it softer on you guys. In fact, I think you should get more. It’s very important to continue your studies outside of the class. It helps develop personal responsibilities.”

Richard then spoke about how some students do not test as well as others, even though they may be equally as smart as anyone else in the classroom. When it comes to test time, some kids tend to freeze up and not do well, said Richard. Many students have great classwork and subpar performances on tests. That is where he believes having homework count as more than 10 percent of a grade can help those students in which do not test well.

The policy affects all teachers within the district, not just the committee teachers, and there are some who think the new policy is fine. Joseph Galante is a math teacher at Triton High School, who isn’t in the school homework committee.

“I love it,” said Galante. “It’s a great policy. I have absolutely no problem with it whatsoever.”

As much as this new policy affects teachers, it also affects the students. After all, the policy is designed for them. A senior, Anthony Farago of Triton High School, pitched into the homework debate.

“That’s dumb,” said Farago, “We don’t need restrictions on homework. It should be the teacher’s choice. And if homework counts for nearly nothing, no one’s going to do it.”

It’s only been half a quarter into the school year. It will take some time to see the effects of the new homework policy.