As a resident of Scarborough, and as a parent of a young family, I would like to address the notion of changing school times to accommodate high school youngsters. Whereas there is a national trend to have our high school students get more sleep, it is the solution – having a later schedule at the high school – that I find troubling.

We vote for school board members to represent us and our children. We expect them to be our voice in decision-making efforts. As a member of a dual-income family already facing before- and after-school care, I object to sacrificing the younger children’s schedule in order to accommodate high school students.

If school board members investigated how the nuclear family must adapt, then they would find another pathway for solving this scheduling problem. Why can’t we just run a later schedule for everybody?

Did they investigate the time that children will be riding buses and sitting in school cafeterias before the bell rings? Did they consider that 5- and 6-year-olds would be standing in the dark waiting for the school bus before 7 a.m.? Did they consider the expense the average family might have to shell out because of greater child care costs?

Are they really representing me, who voted for them? I will tell them this: They are not representing me and many of my friends who are parents in a similar situation.

I enjoy the blessings of the First Amendment, and I expect to be heard. Are we really preparing our high school students for the real world by allowing them to sleep in? Or are we further coddling them? The last I checked, my boss doesn’t allow me to sleep in and show up when I’m nice and rested – that’s my responsibility.

Amanda Barrett

Scarborough


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.