7 Answers

Wow cant imigine a kid that would want a shorter vacation are you a parent ?

If the break is too long go to summer school.

Because they're short on Oompa Loompas at the chocolate factory.

The school break keeps getting shorter and shorter. I think it's because there are so many days of in-service and testing that the teachers don't have enough days to provide the instruction they used to have time for in 181 days.  
When I was a kid, we got out of school about mid-June and went back on the Tuesday after Labor Day (first Monday in September). For some reason, it seemed to work for nearly everyone.  We had time for Reading, Spelling, Math (aka Arithmetic), Social Studies, Science, Art, P.E., and Music.  Weird, huh?  A full curriculum and not one of us didn't graduate from high school.  AND, those of us who went to college actually graduated, too.  

I suppose because it gets incredibly hot in the buildings during the summer months and the children might have a tendency to melt into their school desks.

I do believe that summer vacations/holidays are much too long in N.A. but until all the schools are equipped with central air, it probably is not going to change.

1) Where do you live?  2)How old are you? 3) If you're a student, would you like to do this: http://youtu.be/5nZl-AyVH3Q. ? US students overall do worse academically than a lot of foreign students whose terms are longer.

Many families plan their yearly family vacations during summer break. Most employers will only allow a certain number of employers vacation at the same time. Shorter school breaks would cause some to miss out on their family vacation. I also agree with Bob/PKB that summer school breaks have gotten shorter than in years past.