" to "voice of the people" Japan has one of the most stingent school programs for kids in the world, they also have the largest teen suicide and drug problem in the world. People need to stop being so freaked out over school, they make a persons life out to be nothing but studying. I cant stand it. "

" this is a great time to look at home schooling, you don't have to be an educational professional to decide what your child needs to learn, and how to learn it. parents are the best experts at understanding how their own children learn. "

" Only the students who are afraid of failing will push themselves to the limit to complete work and make themselves crazy, while those who just want to squeak by with 65s and 70s will just play video games all day and night. Japan has the highest teen suicide rate in the world due to the immense pressure on doing well in school, but from what I've seen in anime and manga (yes, they very often reflect real school life), students don't have much homework (unless they go to cram school too) but their schoolday ends about late afternoon and they have school on Saturday as well. Korea is even more demanding. And I beg to differ on the video game issue - Japan is also the biggest videophile nation in the entire world. "

" well if you look at counrties like japan, they (american kids) are way behind maybe less video games and more effort into there studies will help but if the parents dont enforce proper healthy habits they will be under-educated and have no future and be on welfare before we know it. my child is required to spend 1 hour on studies even if there homework is only 15 minutes how else are we to instill GOOD learning if let them do what they want The only reason you all agree is because life overloads you to begin with. "

" I would have to agree with Karl-that after several hours a humans brain does goes into overload! Our company holds yearly training for 3 days-9 hours each day--they bombard us with info-by 3pm we are lucky if we remember what was taught that AM.. so how do we expect our children to do the same and comprehend everything is being taught? "

" It is true the level of homework is way too high-starting at 3rd grade! In 2nd grade my daughter had simple spelling homework with a packet every 2 months for a biography project. This yr. in 3rd grade she math, science, social studies, and vocabulary! A huge leap for what a 8yr old is used to especially coming off a summer vacation! Squeezing homework time-2hr min. in with other family activities or a simple girl scout meeting is a nightmare.Thursday nights are studying for 4 tests on Friday! Then her having to CARRY this backpack full of books daily that an average adult would have trouble with is another story!! Our county doesn't allow the rolling backpacks--but her school happens to let that rule slide, if not she would need a back specialist by the age of 9! "

" I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!!!! The level of homework on kids today is RIDICULOUS! I mean, the brain does not retain if it gets overloaded! You can't give a kid 3+ hours of homework a night and expect them to maintain emotional health! "