To the editor:

As grandparents of today's students, many of us are living on fixed incomes and the additional tax as a result of the unilateral decision by the school committee to change the start times will be a hardship.

Several years ago South Kingstown was debating this same issue. The superintendent and school committee had been approached by some concerned parents with research from the American Academy of Pediatrics relative to the benefit of extra sleep (and thus a later start to school) for middle and high school students.

They formed a "Late Start Committee" made up of parents, teachers and students which explored various options, meeting for over a year. They then sent a letter to the parents of all students, laying out all the items that might impact the family, and asking them to agree or disagree on changing start times.

The overwhelming response was, disagree with any change. This is the way parents should be involved.

A group of us, grandparents who supported the construction of a new middle school, and the additional tax that will impose, are protesting against the decision to change school start times which adds to the tax burden. Why didn't the residents of Barrington have a change to vote on this question? Isn't that taxation without representation?

We ask you to consider the cost to so many in so many different ways and to put the change in start times to a vote, or at least give parents of students a change to voice their opinion.

Joan McHugh

Barrington