The school desks have often been criticized for being inadequate for most students. Along with the school lunch, the desks have been demanded for change the most. However, there are many benefits to keeping the current desks that are already in the building.
Most people are right-handed, and desks aren’t often used as arm-rests, meaning that making desks for left-handed students would cost more than it’s worth.
The recommendation that the school should use sofas or some other kind of seating would mean that the schools would need to get more tables. Additionally, most other seating would offer less back support, leading to worse posture for students after hours of sitting everyday.
Switching right-handed desks out for tables and chairs may seem like a good idea, however, getting individual tables and chairs for every student would cost much more. While having students share tables works most of the time, there are still points where they need to be separated whether it be testing or behavioral.
Right-handed desks are easy to transport from one classroom to another, and it isn’t very often that they end up breaking. The material used for desks is most often plastic or particleboard.
Solid plastic is quite durable while particleboard is more cost effective and will last longer while still being possible to use after years of service. Switching to an alternate material to make the desks would mean an increase in costs which the school cannot afford, or simply it wouldn’t last long enough to be worth the change.
The most common complaint about the desks is the size. Many students have a problem fitting in the desks and may feel discomfort if sitting in one for too long. However, if they were to be made bigger than the desks would be too large, and smaller students would be unable to fit.
The best change that could benefit students would be to show them the proper way to sit. Many kids hunch their backs and lean forward when the desks are meant to be sat up-right in, allowing them to fit more easily into the seats.
While it is necessary to make accommodations for students who would otherwise be unable to sit at a desk, changing the entire system for outliers would invite too many
modifications when simpler measures can be taken to ensure that they can sit comfortably.
The current desks that are in place at the institute do everything that they should. They give students a place to sit while they listen and work that is comfortable enough for most students. They are also easy to get in and out of, effortless to move, and even allow students to store everyday materials underneath their seats.
Right-handed desks serve all the purposes that they are meant to and most changes would be obsolete in terms of budgeting. There is no need to fix what isn’t broken. It costs nothing to keep what already works. The right-handed desks at Cape Coral High School are perfectly fine, and in fact beneficial to most students.
