Letter: Schools should educate kids, not parent them

Posted 2/8/17

To the editor:

It is concerning that Scott Douglas would discredit my comments made in a previous article regarding after school child care. 

Read Scott Douglas's letter .

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Letter: Schools should educate kids, not parent them

Posted

To the editor:

It is concerning that Scott Douglas would discredit my comments made in a previous article regarding after school child care. 

Read Scott Douglas's letter.

“Opponents” have never stated that after-school costs would be $2,700 per month. As for simple math, yes it is simple. As mentioned at the numerous school committee meetings I have attended, Springboard would charge a minimum of $5.25 per hour. Assuming most parents would need about 3 hours of care, $5.25 x 3 equals $15.75 a day. There are 180 days of school so now so $15.75 x 180 equals $2,835 for 1 child for the year. Actually more than the $2700 per year mentioned in my statement. 

Apparently “supporters” of later school start times will say and do anything to make the realities of the later school start time proposal look favorable. If the school committee keeps this initiative in the budget they will ask the town for a 4.5 percent increase, on top of the 4.5 percent for the middle school. Later school start times incorporates almost 1 percent of this increase. 

Just think, a person with a home valued at $440,000 would be looking at an increase in taxes of at least $900. The school committee stated at their last meeting they need to drastically reduce their budget. With contractual costs increasing significantly this year I hope they do right by the taxpayers and cut the 1 percent for transportation costs associated with later school start times.

Also mentioned in last week’s Barrington Times was tax relief from the car tax disappearance, money from the bond of the high school being up by 2020 and our low cost spent per pupil. I will believe it when I see it regarding the car tax and maybe we should wait until 2020 to revisit the start times then when there is not as much tax money going to bonds. 

As for the cost per pupil, yes, Barrington has done an amazing job educating our students for minimal cost but that is because we have to. Out of a proposed budget of $50 million we get just over $5 million from the state. For comparison purposes, our neighbors in Bristol Warren get $14.4 million. Barrington taxpayers have always had to provide the majority of the school budget.

In my opinion, that is why those who have lived in town a long time have been supportive of the needs of the school department. 

I do not think the taxpayers should be paying a minimum of $417,000 to let our kids sleep later. Part of the issues with teens and sleep is technology. This has been documented in numerous recent publications. Perhaps we should begin with educating our students and parents about healthy sleep routines. After all, it is the business of the school department to educate kids, not parent them.

Please consider attending the next school committee meeting on Feb. 16, the budget is on the agenda. Also consider visiting the website www.riagainstchangingtimes.com to learn more about how later school start times will affect the Barrington community.

Tom Rimoshytus

Barrington

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