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Part-time work for High School

students | | Debatewise
Should High School (secondary) students be banned from working in part-time
jobs?

Part-time work for High School students

No:
High School students have to be in school up to the age of 16. Those who choose to
stay on after that age are also studying full-time. Schoolwork should be their
priority, as they aim to get the good grades needed for college and future careers.
If students are spending hours each week working in a part-time job, that is bound
to have a bad effect on their school work. Homework will be done badly or not at
all, and kids who have worked evening shifts will be too tired to learn well in school
the next day. Banning students from taking paid jobs will mean they do better in
school and come out with better qualifications.
Yes:
Getting a paid job is a normal part of growing up. For centuries teens were ordinary
members of the workforce. And since education became compulsory, hundreds of
millions of students have successfully combined school work with a part-time job.
Studies have found that working a few hours outside school does not harm
achievement, so there is no reason to ban it. Even if having a job did affect
students education, teens are old enough to make that choice for themselves. It
should not be forced on them by an official ban.

Part-time work for High School students

No:
Some students may be able to balance school work and jobs without harming their
education, but they are a minority. Studies find that above about ten hours paid

work a week, students do worse at school. And even if students try to limit how
long they work for, employers often put pressure on them to put in more hours. At
busy times of year like Christmas, holiday periods and stocktaking, students may
be pushed into working many extra hours for fear of being sacked.
Yes:
Having a part-time job can make students more positive about education.
Experience of work makes them think about future careers. This may motivate
them to go to college, and they see the point in working hard to get good grades so
that they can get a better job. And serving customers, working hard in a job, and
having to manage their time well can all help students develop a more professional
approach to their studies. Finally, most university students have to work to pay
their way through college, so having part-time job in school will help to prepare
them for this.

Part-time work for High School students

No:
Working can have benefits for students, but all too often they are exploited in
dead-end jobs. Most of the part-time work students can get is low-paid and lowskilled. It does not stretch them mentally and teaches them little compared to
school. Dodgy bosses often treat teens worse then regular employees, for example
not giving them holiday pay or proper training. Sometimes the work they do is
unsuitable or even dangerous. It is interesting that a Scottish study found very
few employers had bothered to get the permits needed for their student workers.
Yes:
School is not the only place where students can learn. For some skills it is not even
the best place to learn. Students with part-time jobs are gaining valuable
experience in a whole range of areas. They have to keep good time, work in a team,
communicate with others and present themselves well. They learn self-discipline
and gain in confidence. Less academic students may find the training they get with
their job much more interesting and useful than the lessons they have at school.
And a job may bring students into contact with people from different social
backgrounds in a way school doesnt. All of these mean that having a part-time job
should be encouraged rather than banned.

Part-time work for High School students

Yes because...No because...
Allowing school students to work part-time harms older workers. Teens are
cheaper in the UK there is no minimum wage for under-16s and it is common
everywhere for younger workers to be paid less. They can also be pushed around
more easily and are unlikely to protest or go on strike. For these reasons many
bosses prefer to employ three part-time students for a job, rather than take on a
full-time adult. Stopping students taking paid work would therefore create jobs
for unemployed adults and help fight poverty.
This argument is bad economics there is not a fixed lump of work to be shared
out, with winners and losers. Instead the economy will grow as more workers
become available and will shrink if millions of part-time student workers are not
available. Studies have found that student jobs often pay more than the minimum
wage, so they are not under-cutting adults. And adults are still needed for working
regular hours while teens are in school. Indeed, adults dont want to work the
evening and weekend shifts that students usually cover.

Part-time work for High School students

Yes because...No because...
Part-time work has a bad effect on schoolwork in two ways. Teens have less time to
put into their studies, but they also get money in their pockets. Too much money
too young is a bad thing. Having a lot of money gives them the cash to fund their
social life. So when they are not doing their job, they are out partying no wonder
they have no time to do homework and are too tired to focus in class. Income from
a job also allows them to fund bad habits, such as drinking and drugs.
What a negative view of young people! If this was true, then banning students from
part-time work would lead to many more quitting school at 16 in order to work full
time. But most young people are sensible with their money, using it to buy clothes,
gadgets, music and holidays. Studies have shown that older teens who work are
good at saving their money, often putting it towards college.

Part-time work for High School students

Yes because...No because...

School is about much more than lessons. Some of the best parts of education take
place outside class time, such as sports, drama, music and voluntary work. When
students take part-time work, they miss out on all these opportunities even if their
homework doesnt suffer. Students need time to grow up and become well-rounded
individuals, rather than being shoved as soon as possible into the world of work.
We must trust our teens to find their own way in the world, deciding which
opportunities they will take. For most students, getting a part-time job is an
important way of gaining independence. If we keep them wrapped up safe at home
and school, they will never develop an adult identity. The danger then is they wont
be able to cope when they have to go to college or leave home for the first time.

1. It is good for students to have part-time jobs because this helps cultivate independence
among young people.
2. Part-time jobs in business can foster a sense of competition, which is important for
students in the future.
3. After-school work enhances a young person's social development.
4. Being able to earn their own money gives students a feeling that they've become adults
and, therefore, makes them feel more mature.
5. Part-time jobs make students more confident in themselves.
Through the work they can realize their own value and prove that they are capable
people.
6. Part-time jobs experience gives students an insight into what work is about and prepares
them psychologically for their future jobs.
7. After-school work teaches students how hard it is to earn money and helps develop
thriftiness in our younger generation.
8. Part-time jobs can help students apply their knowledge in practice.
And, in return, their experience will make them know better what they have learned in
classes and books.
9. Part-time jobs give students a feeling of achievement through contributing to the national
construction and economy.
10. Part-time jobs can make the students' lives more colorful and is good for their personal
development.
11. Students who have part-time jobs can relieve, to some extent, the economic burdens of
their parents.
12. With the money earned, students can buy many books they like.
13. Because they earn money, students can pay for their education and thus will value their
education even more.
14. Part time work helps the economy by providing additional inexpensive labor.
15. Part time labor helps the employer by providing labor at peak workloads without the
costs of the labor when the workload goes down.
16. Students, part-time jobs contribute a lot, in one way or another, to our socialist
construction.

YES

NO

Helps to get your priorities in Students should be students.

order
There are only 24 hours in a day. The
Working while in high school is beneficial
because it helps a student get their priorities in
order. While other students may spend free
time partying, a working student is able to be
productive in their free time while saving
money for college. Working also helps students
learn balance. If a person truly wants to work
while in school, and keep their grades up, they
will be able to do so with no problems.

opportunity cost of working at a job earning

minimum wage is too high. The amount that a
student can make in high school is nothing
compared to what they will be earning after
college. Not to say that a job is a bad thing, it
can teach valuable career skills and
responsibility. However, between school,
sports, NHS, Key Club, Student council. Band,
chorus, year book, if there is any free time after
that it should probably be used studying.

Families who don't have

much money

High School student with a

job.....

Students should be able to have jobs because

some families don't have money for anything,
such as taxes. Children make the money to
help out with families. They can earn money
for college and school fees. Students learn how
to manage money by themselves. They learn
how to manage their time as well.

As a high school student with a job, I can

speak from experience the hardships of
working a job and going to school. I have to
consume around 500mg of caffeine per day to
stay awake and maintain a 4.33(out of 5)
weighted gpa and a 3.8(out of 4) unweighted
gpa and try to have a social life outside of
school and work. If any parents are reading
this, I would re-think letting/making your
kid(s) have a job.

Families who don't have

much money

Education is important
One should work on getting great grades, so
that one can get a great career. A job would

Students should be able to have jobs because

some families don't have money for anything,
such as taxes. Children make the money to
help out with families. They can earn money
for college and school fees. Students learn how
to manage money by themselves. They learn
how to manage their time as well.

take away from time to study. With great

grades they can get into college and have a
better chance of getting scholarships. I am a
straight A student with a full schedule. I
wouldn't be getting straight As if I had a job.
School consumes my life.

Yes, students should be able

to work while in
highschool.

I fully agree that school is

more important than
earning money for teens.

Students in Highschool should be allowed to

carry either full time or halftime jobs. This
should be done because what If students need
to save for college and a job is their only
choice. What if they need to hel support their
family or pay their own electricity bills. Thes
are a
Lmgreat facts that support the idea of students
having jobs while in highschool.

If to talk about me, I am a student and I study

in the final form. All my free time I spend on
preparing for exams. I am at school from 9 a.M
till 4 p.M. After school I come home and start
doing my homework. Do you really think that I
have time to work and earn my own pocket
money? I do not think so.

Yes, students should be able

to work while in
highschool.

School is more necessary.

Students in Highschool should be allowed to

carry either full time or halftime jobs. This
should be done because what If students need
to save for college and a job is their only
choice. What if they need to hel support their
family or pay their own electricity bills. Thes
are a
Lmgreat facts that support the idea of students
having jobs while in highschool.

Most people who work during high school

usually end up dropping out of high school or
there grades just suffer also it's draining to go
to work and then go to high school you go to
work all ready and by the time your done
working your energy is almost completely
gone so in turn you lack the sufficient power to
listen and have rational thinking during class
then think that your making enough money
now "so why should I stay in high school" and
end up quieting high school or your so focused
on your job that you don't realize that your
grades end up not looking goods I would
compromise and only work during the summer.

Yes they should

I personally believe that students should be
required to work during the school year
because it makes them responsible and self
dependent. As a full time hired hand at a
dairy/hog and at a turkey farm have learned
many valuable skills that I will surely use
during my life. Depending on what job you
have it also teaches you common sense and
troubleshooting skills which is crucial in
today's job market.

Responsibility is Attained
Students become more responsible when they
work part-time. It prepares them for the
working world. They learn to manage their
time properly with homework and workforce
obligations. From that they learn timemanagement and they can organize tasks in a
productive and effective manner. Before
students start working, they depend on their
parents for money. When they start working
and are managing their own money, they
become more money-wise. They see how hard
they have to work for the money and they are
now more prone to watch how they spend their
money. Overall, students become more
responsible when they obtain a part-time job.

No, students can gain life

skills in other ways.
My son achieved top marks at the end of high
school. He was very committed to sports and I
thoroughly believe that he became more
independent and gained greater teamwork and
leadership skills through this. It also kept him
active and healthy. By using spare time during
high school for other commitments, students
can balance their studies more easily and with
more flexibility than if they had a job. They
also gain invaluable life skills that are not
made available in the workforce.

No, education should be their

biggest priority.
High school makes up only five years of a
person's life. These years should be dedicated
to getting the best education they possibly can
in order to increase career prospects later,
when working is more important. My daughter
had a job at the beginning of year 12, but
between social activities, sports, leadership
roles and other commitments, she was forced
to decide what was most important to her. We
both agreed that sacrificing her studies and
other commitments was not worth a few extra
dollars.

Can help families

Too Much Work.

Nowadays parents are suffering financial

problems. Children who goes to work during
school holidays can help the family by giving
some money. Furthermore, children can their
own things on their own and also can pay for
their school fees. It is necessary children
should work and some money during

Students should not work during high school.

Of course students should learn to handle
things on their own but education should
always come first. It is very hard to focus on
studies when you have another thing that takes
up such a large portion of you time. Students

schooldays.

should not have to work while in school.

Don't let yourself be

overwhelmed after
school!

We have to worry about our

grades and most people
don't understand.

As a highschool student who is currently

searching for a job I believe that while
academics are important, but they won't do you
much good if you aren't prepared for the world
ahead, I have several friends that maintain high
grades and have afterschool jobs, plus it helps
you achieve a better understanding of the value
of money!

I'm an 11th grader and just to let you guys

know, it is hard working and going to school.
We have to worry about our grades and sports.
It's hard for us because most students are
already tired after school. I mean we have to
wake up early. Of course most people won't
understand. Most parents expect for us to pass
with A's but when we fail they blame us. I
mean it is their fault making us work right after
school. We don't have time for our school work
and we don't have time to study for our final
exams. Don't speak for students when you
don't know what we go through.

I have one.

Jobs kill grades

I work full time at a nursing home not because

my parents made me,but because I enjoy being
productive. I attend high school and two
college classes. I have a 3.5 gpa in high school
and a 4.0 in college. I'm president of my
school's FCCLA club and make time for my
friends. It's doable You just have to be willing
to work at it. My work provides all of my
insurance and will help me pay for furthering
my education. You just have to try and you can
do it.

I was always an excellent student i had mostly

high As in classes, maybe a couple Bs every
now and then. I did all my homework on time
and I actually didn't mind going to school.
Then I got a part time job, and it was a great
job. There was no food involved and the pay
was great but the 20 hours a week started to
effect my school work and motivation. I
stopped wanting to go to school and I dreaded
going to work. I was losing sleep, my grades
were plummeting because I stopped turning in
work, I didn't have the time to do it. I went
from an A&B student to a student who was
failing several classes and had C's in the other.
I managed to get the Fs up to Ds
After taking time off work but haveing a part
time job has destroyed most of my motivation
along with my chances to get into many

colleges and receive better scholarships.