'She's Exhausted': Minneapolis Parents Worry About Extended School Days' Impact On Kids

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Some Minneapolis Public School parents are noticing big changes in their children following the educator strike.

Students are now having to stay late every day and will be in school through most of June.

WCCO's Reg Chapman shares some parents concerns and how the district is responding.

Since April 11, when MPS extended its school day, Stephanie Herrmann has noticed a big change in her kindergartner, Raina.

"She comes home tired," Herrmann said. "She comes home, she's exhausted, she is tired. I've never like seen her more grumpy to come home, and just sometimes she'll lash out at me, just you know, [it's] been a long day."

Her daughter goes to Waite Park Elementary. She arrives at 9 a.m. and is now picked up around 4:50 p.m.

"She's been at school all day. I don't know what exactly they're feeding her. She gets the school lunches, so for her to come home and just immediately go to the fridge and want to sit and lay down," he said.

Herrmann is one of many parents who took to social media to express their concerns about the longer school days.

One parent posted that the extra time, on top of removing the mask mandate, is causing a ton of anxiety. Another parents said, 'My two kids are zombies, and frankly, so am I."

Students lost 15 days during the strike. Ten days have been added to the end of the school year, and the additional five are being made up by adding 42 minutes to the end of each school day.

Parents tell us elementary schools meet their requirements by adding those 10 extra days. It was the secondary schools that were still five days short.

"I imagine. I feel for the kids right now very much," Herrmann said.

Parents say the district chose to extend for all kids so educators can work all days in their contract.

WCCO did ask to talk to a district official about the parents' concerns, but they did not respond to that request.