Books Of Burden: Kids Suffer From Lugging Texts

Legislation Could Lighten Load For Schoolchildren

NEW YORK -- Samantha Dicken, 11, was having trouble with her knees -- but she discovered part of the problem was her school backpack.

"They give you a lot of homework in the fifth and sixth grades," Dicken said.

Samantha isn't alone. Heavy backpacks are becoming an increasing problem for students across the country. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports backpack-related injuries send 6,000 students to the emergency room each year -- with more than half of those affecting children ages 5 to 14.

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Now, New Jersey Assemblyman Peter Barnes Jr. wants to force schools to lighten that load. He's introduced legislation that would require the State Board of Education to adopt maximum weight limits for textbooks.

"These backpacks I see these kids carry are bigger than we carried when I was in the service," Barnes said. "[The legislation would] lessen the requirements for kids to carry books back and forth to school ... to have the books in the school, and do the studying in the books while they're [at school]. Also possibly, when the next round of books are bought by the Board of Education, they should be reduced [in size and weight], or maybe paperback rather than hard cover."

The legislation will be proposed to the education committee next month. But what can parents do now? Dr. Ken Freedman, a chiropractor, suggested parents look inside their child's backpack.

"The No. 1 thing is to weigh the pack and the child," Freedman said. "We are recommending that children not carry in excess of 10 to 15 percent of their body weight."

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