Should NJ kids have to stand all day long in school? Jeff’s not convinced

Kathleen Hale is the founder of the Chair Free Project. She advocates for standing desks (no chairs and a higher work surface) in the business world. Now she says this needs to come to your child's classroom.

A new school year starts across New Jersey next week. What if it included an absence of chairs? Would you be okay with your child spending the whole day on their feet at a standing desk?

Hale says this promotes a healthier lifestyle. With child obesity on the rise, she believes this is a perfect solution. She also claims a standing versus sitting desk promotes better focus.

Would this work? I can't imagine easy classroom management with this system. At least with chairs you know when squirrely 13-year-olds are moving from where they should be. Wouldn't standup desks lend themselves to a lot of screwing around and drifting into a gray area of "you're in the aisle — no I'm still at my desk?"

I'm curious to know about any study claiming standing leads to better focus than sitting. Was it an unbiased study or was it commissioned by the manufacturers of standing desks?

Anyone who works retail, even those in good shape mind you, knows what it feels like to be on your feet all day. Do you feel you can concentrate as well by hour 7?

Why do these lifestyle/parenting issues always fall on our schools? If parents are doing their jobs and making sure their children are getting exercise and eating right this wouldn't be a discussion. Fifty years ago, Americans were in much better shape. Yet we managed that with sitting desks throughout our school years. Clearly it's what's happening outside of the classroom that we need to worry about.

I'd love to know what teachers think of this idea. You're the ones who see kids' behavior in the classroom up close and personal. Would having them stand up all day make things better or worse? Parents, teachers, and students too, please leave your thoughts in the comment section, or tweet us @NJ1015.

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— Jeff Deminski

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