It's sticky in Claremont Mesa. People are dripping in sweat. They say that it's time to go back to school instead of going to the beach or spending the day at a swimming pool? You got to be kidding!

So what's the point of all this? This past Monday, the community colleges began school on August 26 to begin a semester that would take them through December the 20th. On September 2nd, and not the 15th, the public schools (high, jr. high, middle, elementary, etc.) begin once again. They're all starting school at a time when it's really time for a last blast of summer heat and water. The students are stuck in a time between enjoying the summer weather and returning to school.

So what do the students do? Go to school in the mornings, but when they get off, they go to the beach. Why? It's still summer!

And as for gasoline consumption? It uses up even more gasoline to go to both places in the same day than it does to go to just one place per day. Trying to get a parking space at Mesa, Grossmont, or other colleges is a job for students who don't rely on mass transportation. What do they do? They park in nearby residential areas, which gets annoying for those like me who do business delivering goods to nearby homes where 5-minute parking is a necessity.

The students can't spend as much time at the beach in the evening as they did when it was the beginning of June. That's because the sun sets at around 7:15 instead of almost 8pm, and it's a sign that summer is in its final month.

Also, going back to school in late August causes an increase of electricity consumption due to more air conditioners coming online to cool down the classrooms, adding to the high load of electrical use that occurs at this time of the year. What if there's a rolling blackout and the schools are without power for an hour? What do the students do in 100 degree weather?

Doesn't it make more sense to simply put off the start of the school year to at least a week after Labor Day?