Time in School

Re “Raising an Alarm When the Bell Rings,” letters, Nov. 29: In England, we were in school from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The school year went from the beginning of September to the middle of July, with various short breaks during the year. Only six weeks off in the summer. Since we start high school at the age of 11, we graduate at the age of 16 or can stay on another two years for college prep courses.

I came to this country when I was 17, and when I applied for university here I was given two years’ credit in English and French for my studies in an English high school. It’s not just about the sensible hours but also about the length of the school year. The arithmetic seems simple to me.

Ann Rayner Harootyan

Van Nuys