Taking Middle Schoolers Out of the Middle

"Should the nurturing cocoon of elementary school be extended for another three years, sheilding 11-year-olds from the abrupt transition to a new school, with new students and teachers, at one of the most volatile times in their lives?"

I am of the firm belief that middle school is one of if not the most important social stage of an individual's life. Putting off the school transition is I feel coddling and even more damaging than the 5th to 6th grade transition could ever be. The social skills balanced with the academics at a time when hormones are running wild is so unbelievably important that in my high school you could recognize nearly at a glance those who had not experienced middle school due to home schooling or some other such alternative. While the 6-12 schools seem more promising, there is still an innocence that I feel needs to be protected, even among blood-thirsty middle schoolers.