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Shaker Name: Jeff D. Opdyke

Basic Work: Journalist for the Times Herald Record, column: Love and Money, and covers personal finance for The Wall Street Journal.

Key Work: Informing the public of the stressful effects of work load on todays elementary school students. Article: “How Homework Is Hurting Our Family”

Key Personnel: Author/Journalist:Jeff D. Opdyke vs. the current U.S Public School Curriculum

Why/How a shaker? Jeff Opdyke is a journalist and parent of one of todays elementary school students has witnessed first hand the affects of student work load on not only the student but family life by taking time away from the family and causing highly stressful situations. Mr. Opdyke uses his ability to communicate to the public through mass media to shed light on what seems to be a growing concern about the U.S Public Schools curriculum and expectations of elementary school students. In his article Mr. Opdyke states "I'm not sure when it happened, but at some point U.S schools decided if you can't teach em, test em...or pile on more homework." According to Opdyke his son has so many projects and homework assignments that it overshadows family life, not only family outings and vacations but daily life at home as well. Opdyke would like to know when schools determined "that the best place for the kids to learn math, science, and English is at their own kitchen table?" Opdyke is also frustrated with the increasing amount of children who are being put on anxiety medications due to high levels of stress caused by the incredible expectations of todays curriculum. Opdyke as well as other parents are taking an acitve role in their childrens education. In order to counteract the overbearing standards of todays curriculum these parents are not only spending time helping their children study, but hiring tutors and meeting with teachers to devise strategies to help the students in todays school system get through the work with out having to resort to medication.

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