Homework horror stories? We want to hear them

 
The Los Angeles Unified School District recently announced a new homework policy that says starting July 1, homework can account for only 10% of a student's grade. Anyone out there feeling relieved?

As Times writer Howard Blume reports in an article about the new homework policy, the philosophy behind the move is twofold: It is intended to account for the myriad urban problems facing the district's mostly low-income population who may have trouble fitting in homework between jobs, or long bus rides to school, or noisy households. It's also aimed at supporting L.A. Unified's increased focus on boosting measurable academic achievement.

In light of this news, we wanted to hear crazy homework stories from parents and students. Parents, have you ever jumped in and just did your son or daughter’s homework because it was late, or you wanted to boost a grade, or your kid was crying in frustration, or the teacher was asking for something far beyond his or her ability? Were you the one who ended up staying up all night to build that replica of a California mission? Do you think kids get too much homework, even over the summer? How much of it do you do, and why?

We're casting a wide net, so share your stories. You can leave comments or send an email to deborah.netburn@latimes.com.

We look forward to hearing your tales.

-- Deborah Netburn

Photo: Jenna Latt helps daughter Alejandra Larriva-Latt, 12, with her sixth-grade math assignment. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times.