To the editor:

Those who oppose a medically-recommended* later school start time for BMS and BHS will often question the need to implement a policy which has been proven to reduce tardies in adolescents. “If we don’t have a problem, why change?” is the common refrain.

And yet in the past few weeks, both BMS and BHS have announced new policies designed to cut down on tardies (with the BMS announcement specifically referencing the high number of late arrivals). Thus my question: if there are no problems with our current start times, then why are so many students late to school? Why do we need to exert punitive motivation over our students just to get them to school on time?

Of course, a practice which, time and time again, has been proven to reduce student tardies and absences, already exists in a wide variety of school districts across the country. Not only can this practice improve student mental and physical health, but the practice has also been shown to ultimately save money in the communities where it has been implemented. That practice is, of course, to start high schools at a time when students will be at their best: at or after 8:30 a.m.

A well-implemented later start time has been shown to cut down on tardies and absences, reduce athletic injuries, improve student performance, and reduce unhealthy behaviors ranging from risky driving to substance abuse.

It’s unfortunate that our district’s leadership has elected the easy way out, and is choosing to ignore medically-recommended school start times. Our students are losing out because of their failure to act.

Sincerely,

Erika Sevetson

Barrington

*Recommended by the CDC, AAP, AASM, and many other medical and scientific organizations. https://www.kidsfirstbarrington.org/research/