Experts say yes. Here’s what to do about it.
My second-grader’s backpack is larger than he is. It droops below his bottom. He looks like a sad camel loping home from school, enormous L.L. Bean bag slapping against his spine.
I remember the feeling: I used to lug my school stuff home in an Esprit tote bag (very cool in 1989), and by sixth grade I was practically walking with a limp. Apparently, nothing has changed.
But some people are trying to fix the problem: For instance, The Rashi School in Dedham is experimenting with ways to reduce the burden on students, literally. Google Classroom is beginning to replace loose packets of paper, and digital Chromebooks have replaced notebooks, making take-home materials lighter.