So Much For Local Control of Schools

From the major Sacramento newspaper:

Don’t hit the snooze button yet, kids.

A proposal to roll back school start times still needs Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature to become law.

The California Legislature approved – while working into the early hours of Saturday morning – a measure that would prohibit high schools and middle schools from starting before 8:30 and 8:00 a.m., respectively.

Is this really something that should be dictated across the entire state? 

Every time this issue of start time comes up, I always ask the same questions.  Do they have these problems in Korea, in China, in Finland, in India, in Russia, in Mexico--that kids aren't awake for school?  How is it that farm kids and some athletes (swimming comes to mind as an "early" sport) are able to get up?  If this is so, why do my students, year after year after year, say they would rather come to school earlier and get out earlier if they just can't get up?  How do soldiers, who in many cases are just shortly out of high school, able to get up so early?

And what about after-school athletics?  They're not going to start later, so now athletes will miss more instruction.

Honestly, this start time business seems made up to me.  It's a discipline issue.  Put your damn phones away and get to bed at a reasonable hour.  There, that solves 99% of the problem.  The other 1%, those that really do have some sort of sleeping issue?  We shouldn't compel everyone else in the state to accommodate that 1%.

Update:  For the record, I wouldn't mind working 8:30-3:30 at all.  I just don't think this is a state-level issue, or an issue that needs any correction other than parents' enforcement of just the slightest discipline.