To the editor:

The depth of societal problems are by and large self-created. We allow for this on a daily basis when we accept generalities over specifics and disallow for the complexity of an issue to be fully vetted. This is the case with the school start times discussion in Barrington. There are those who suggest that the discussion has gone on long enough. I would counter that it has yet to begin. It is time for the committee to break its silence and answer – with verifiable specifics – the questions community members have put before them, including:

• What data has been obtained on the sleep habits of Barrington teens? By whom? When?

• What factors are contributing to the segment of Barrington teens who do and those who do not achieve enough sleep?

• In 2012 a Barrington parent survey indicated lack of support for changing school start times. Despite the fact that the American Academy of Pediatrics and others offer a myriad of ways to assist teens getting better/longer sleep, over the past 3 years rather than implement any broad-based sleep education programs at our schools, why has the committee remained singularly focused on school start times? Is the committee tied to start times simply as a means to get additional funding for busing?

• Since the first study on the impact of delaying school start times, under 2 percent of schools nationwide have modified their start times to later due to a lack of convincing data. What specific studies and data — please provide URL links — is the committee using to support its position?

• Most of the studies on delayed start times do not meet scientific research standards, and therefore repeatability/local applicability remain doubtful. Scientific validity aside, the percent of students impacted in these studies is underwhelming and translates to only 10 to 16 percent of Barrington teens potentially impacted by delaying school 45 minutes. Is this the percent the committee recognizes? If not, what percent and based on what study data? (Please provide links)

• What percent of parents will need to modify work schedules or hire childcare as a result of the change? What is the resulting economic and emotional impact?

• Coaches and club facilitators have conveyed that the change will negatively impact many afterschool activities as well as disallow some to continue facilitating because of their own commitments. A list showing how the change will impact each activity and whether the existing coach/facilitator is able to continue has not been provided.

• How will the change to afterschool activities impact family dinners? jobs?

• The majority of teachers at BMS/BHS offer afterschool help post 2:35 p.m., which ends their contractual day. Teachers have conveyed that by ending school later it will disallow many of them to provide this free service due to their own family commitments. What percent of students currently benefit from this afterschool help? How will eliminating this free service impact them?

Silence is an often used tactic to push through policies in poorly educated or uninvolved communities. We are neither and therefore seek specifics over generality, evidence over rhetoric.

As per the superintendent’s original request, it is time to form a task force so that a balanced look at teen sleep habits in Barrington can be ascertained and the pros/cons of all potential solutions can be reviewed, thereby producing an outcome that will be widely supported by the community.

Kim Jacobs

Barrington