Minors have much more responsibilities than some adults may think.

Along with school, many have jobs, cars, cell phones and a home life that does not exactly make things easy.

I, on average, work at least six hours a day, three days a week, and bring home at least four hours of homework every night.

Many students are in the same boat as I am, having trouble finding time to juggle school, work, sports, and social life, when giving up hours at work is simply just not an option.

Some teachers are not sympathetic toward working students at all, saying things such as, “It’s not right to put work before school,” and, “It’s not my problem.”

However, it is not the students’ problem either. Times have changed, and most students who work do not choose to work. They are forced to work.

Why should students’ grades suffer because they cannot afford to live off of their parents income?

For students who live out of the district or drive to school, it is unfair to blame them completely. After all, they are trying to make ends meet just like everyone else.

Speaking from personal experience, some nights, although it may not be right, homework is the last thing on my mind.

After a long day started by getting up at 5 a.m., being in school from 7:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m., and then working 4 p.m until 10 p.m., the only thing I can think about is sleep.

For students who do not work but participate heavily in extracurricular activities, I can imagine that they are just as exhausted when they get home, too.

However, I can completely understand how a teacher might be hesitant to give students extra time to complete work because of extracurricular activities or because of work. After all, it is a student’s choice to get a job.

But is it really?

Why do teachers think that students would choose to have a job, especially since minors already have so much going on and do not even receive the same pay as adults?

Most teenagers would not choose to be belittled on a daily basis, if they had a choice.

When most working students go to their teachers and ask for more time to complete their work, it is understandable to mistake their problems as an excuse.

But there is a fine line between excuses and reality.

No one ever said juggling multiple things would be easy, but nowadays it is almost impossible.

When students go to their teachers with concerns about their homework not being able to get done and their grades dropping, it is because they care. The last thing students want to hear is, “It’s not my problem.”

When students hear that there is no way to help out their grades when they cannot finish last night’s homework, it does not put a fire under them to get their work done. Instead, it stresses them out even more.

Students are not asking for constant forgiveness for late work and constant extensions. What they are asking for is a little compassion and understanding.

They know that their work is late; it stresses them out a lot more than you may think.

So, as a student, the next time a teacher gives you an, “It’s not my problem” excuse, just think for a second about where they are coming from and instead of getting mad and frustrated, try to explain your situation and see if they will help you work something out.