To the School Committee,

Did you know you’ve just triggered the entire town? (Sometimes millennial speak works).

We now know that you have every intention of ramrodding the school start time initiative down the throats of taxpayers, parents and most unfortunately, our students and teachers. You and your Chair Dr. Douglas seem to be hell-bent on passing it in this year’s budget. 

Before you take final action, I would ask the school committee if this initiative is specifically referenced in the BSC Strategic Plan 2018 – 2023, BSC Scorecard or BSC Communication Plan? (http://www.barringtonschools.org/2018-2023-district-strategic-plan1.html)

The answer to this question is an emphatic NO!

Further, you’ve made this decision by ignoring these guiding documents along with other facts. They include, but are not limited to:

• 80 percent of BHS students don’t want a delay

• Nearly 1,000 parents three years ago and 740-plus parent currently have signed a petition on change.org to STOP the SST initiative (https://www.change.org/p/barrington-school-committee-school-start-times-opposition )

• Coaches, teachers, administrators and the high school AD will all be put through the ringer whilst attempting to juggle after school sports and extracurricular activities

• The EG School Committee tried a new tiered system in bus routes last year in order to implement SST, only to change it back this year. Check it out. It was a disaster.

• And perhaps my favorite reason comes from Ms. Jane Small a current BHS student. In her letter to the editor she says, “Average start times in Massachusetts, the state with the best public schools, are within 10 minutes of our current start time. If these schools can succeed by starting before eight, why does Barrington think a later start time is instrumental to improving education?” 

Bravo Ms. Small. Your LTE was exquisite. I wish you could vote. 

And what to make of all this? Ms. Lauria, Democrat Town Chair commented on Ms. Small’s LTE, and I paraphrase, “We’ve had enough discussion, and it’s now time to act.” And most telling is what Dr. Douglas said, in part, to the superintendent in regard to possible SST legislation “But we (she and her husband) persist. We find a way. Because we are people of service who believe in putting all children first” (this obtained by the writer in an A.P.R.A. request). I encourage Dr. Douglas to release the complete email exchange with the Superintendent for the public record.

And this from someone who purports to highly value student opinion yet ignores it when provided.

Oh the condescension. Hubris is embarrassed. Sheer arrogance wrapped in self-righteousness more aptly describes this SC and their sycophants. What would we do without this small group of elites who truly care for our school children? Of course we should simply pay obeisance to their superior intellect and their morally courageous decision-making. They, the noble ruling class; we the plebes.

This of course is sheer bunkum. 

My wife, three sons and I are all BHS graduates and shared a similar start time. We too care deeply about this imprudent initiative and its potential negative impact. 

SST is a fraud and a waste of taxpayer money. Two prior school committees have discussed this ad-nauseum and chose to reject it.

If you share my sentiments, I hope you’ll join the fight at the upcoming SC, COA and financial town meetings! 

Scott W. Fuller

Barrington

Mr. Fuller is a former member of the Barrington School Committee.