Carmel’s own state senator, Mike Delph-R, sponsored a bill to push back school start dates to after Labor Day, and on Feb. 2, 2010, he saw it pass in the Indiana Senate with a vote of 31-19. If it passes in the House, it means Carmel High School will not begin school in 2012 until September, pushing back graduation to mid-June or later.

Principal John Williams said he isn’t in favor or against schools starting later since both have benefits. However, he’s worried for a difference reason.

“I’m concerned about the legislature getting involved in things that are really none of their business. When schools should start should be a local decision,” Williams said.

Eleven states in the country already have this law in place and the primary reason is for tourism. However, in some states, the school year is based on hours instead of days as Indiana is, which makes starting after Labor Day a non-issue if each school day is slightly longer.

“I understand the complaints,” Williams said.

Many of them concern tourist days that are lost when school starts in mid-August. At that time, temperatures are still high but lower than in June and July, which is why organizations like Save Indiana Summers want the bill to pass so the tourism industry can benefit for an additional three weeks.

Those three weeks are also days during which teenagers above 16 can hold summer jobs. For senior Katie O’Rourke, who lifeguards year-round at the Monon Center, summer is the prime season for working.

“During the summer, I work a lot more hours,” she said. During the year, she earns a few hundred less than the $749.25 (before taxes) she makes in one summer month.

However, the later start date means students in AP courses will have two to three weeks less time to learn an entire year’s course material, since the national AP Exam dates are in early May. Additionally, the first semester would not end until after winter break, which means final exams would be on students’ minds during that time. Though Carmel used to function in this way, Williams said the administration has switched to a more convenient model.

“It’d drastically change our year,” Williams said. “No question about that.” By Michelle Hu <[email protected]>