Council Member To Propose Bill To Limit Homework

The amount of homework public school teachers can give would be limited to ten minutes a grade a night under a new resolution being introduced to the City Council.

That means first-graders would get 10 minutes a night; second-graders would get 20 minutes a night; third-grades 30 minutes, and so forth.

"Kids deserve to be kids," the City Council Member introducing the legislation, Peter Vallone Jr., who represents Queens, said. "Homework can add to a student's education, but we should not pile heaps of it to replace solid learning in the classroom."

He said limiting homework would increase the time children can spend going outside and exercising. He said his own two daughters sometimes get so overwhelmed by homework that he cannot convince them to play outside.

Mr. Vallone is expected to introduce the resolution today.