Parents offer support for later start times

By Canton Citizen

Editor’s Note: The following letters were sent to the School Committee and are being reprinted at the request of the authors. The School Committee was expected to vote tonight on whether to fund the proposed later school start times. See next week’s Canton Citizen for updates.

Hello School Committee:

We are putting sons 4 and 5 through the Canton school system, and I’m writing to let you know I fully support the later start times proposed for the high school. In my experience, adding 40 minutes to the morning of currently over-homeworked, high-achieving, and capable teens will be a beautiful and civilized thing. Other towns have made the change, and the results have been very positive. Any moments added to a teen’s morning will soften the blow of the current 5:50 a.m. alarm, and they’ll still arrive home with time for sports, work, homework, etc.

Please know how much I appreciate all you do to maintain the wonderful school system we all enjoy.

Thanks for your time and see you at the polls!

Kathy Anderson

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Dear School Committee Members:

I send this email to you all to express my support of the later start times. I truly appreciate the time and effort you all put in for the benefit of the students of Canton. It is quite admirable.

I am hoping you vote in favor of this because you are the only ones right now who can speak for our kids. Unfortunately, the kids that this impacts so greatly do not get a vote. It is up to us, and now, you all, to vote for them.

We’ve all heard the overwhelming evidence and data from doctors and administrators that have done the research and the studies and have seen the benefits of a later start time. This change would greatly benefit 900 or so CHS students.

You have all put in so much time and effort on this and I fear if it doesn’t get changed now, it never will. These kids shouldn’t have to wait another year; they need this now. They are busy with jobs, after-school activities, volunteering and homework, etc. I give them so much credit because they do this all with so much pressure on them in efforts to get into a ‘good’ college. I really believe we need to stand up for them, support them and help them.

By not making this change, we are ignoring the evidence and thereby telling them they just aren’t important. I believe their well-being is important. I know you all believe that because I’ve heard you all argue for their benefits, and I truly hope you do this time as well.

Thank you so much.

Lori Ann Romano

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