School Schedule Change

Isn’t Worth It

To the Editor:

Recently, the Newtown school board, of which I am a member, voted to change the school bus system so that our middle school students leave home two hours earlier in the morning (6:45 am) and arrive home two hours earlier (2:15 pm) in the afternoon in order to combine them on the same buses as our high school students.

I would like to explain why I strenuously opposed this measure. My objections were twofold:

1. Adverse social consequences — earlier promiscuity, earlier initiation of substance abuse, and an increase in risk-taking behavior — are likely to ensue. This viewpoint is supported by both basic common sense and social science research.

This bus schedule change will place scores of 13- and 14-year-olds in unsupervised homes of hardworking two-earner couples for the additional hours of 2:15 to 4:15 each school day. Of course, those with the resources to provide an adult caregiver in the afternoon will remain unaffected. In fact, some appear to be unconcerned — “It is not my problem. I am not my brother’s keeper.”

2. Our high school students are already academically handicapped by early start times; now we are foisting this on our middle schoolers as well. This flies in the face of extensive sleep research discussed on [the June 15, 2003] front page of the Connecticut section of The New York Times. The story cites a study that collates research from multiple sources suggesting that early start times adversely affect student performance in grades six through 12. In response to such research, the Wilton school system has decided to delay their start times for their adolescent students.

Wilton is headed in one direction. We are headed in another. At the very least, mere curiosity (let    alone the responsibility of leadership) compels a full, fair, and uninhibited discussion.

School budget reductions are never easy to make. Our board labored over difficult decisions. But our bus schedule change, which tweaked $124,000 from a $49 million budget, simply wasn’t worth it.

Sincerely,

Margaret Hull

6 Fern Lane, Newtown                                                  June 25, 2003