A growing number of Boston parents, worried that potential changes to the way Boston assigns students to schools could separate siblings, are pushing school leaders for a policy that would keep families together.
More than 1,200 parents and other supporters have signed petitions urging that when a younger sibling starts kindergarten, that child can attend the same school as older brothers or sisters, even if their family’s home is no longer in that school’s attendance area.
Comments
Three points.
1. The number of affected students quoted by BPS cannot possibly be accurate. They have not even chosen a model yet, and by their original estimates, depending on model, this could affect 30-80% of all students. There is no way that the number of affected families is this low. I challenge them to be transparent about how they crunched these numbers.
2. Even if the number of families WAS this low - the choice as presented here is not the true reality. Many parents will NOT have the option to bring their older child to the younger sibling's new school, even if they want to, because classrooms are already at capacity. This poses serious logistical issues for single and working parents, especially.
3. This article doesn't illustrate the emotional and safety ramifications on children not to be together. Children need to be together on the bus, or walking home from school, for safety reasons. Siblings are a vital source of support to each other in a school community. This isn't about mere inconvenience - its a serious quality of life for students issue.
AMEN!
Even if they grandfather in siblings, there would have to be a cut off...some child born 10 years from now can't still be grandfathered in because his 6 year old sibling and current newborn sibling are grandfathered in or the new system will never kick in...
The system doesn't count, the kids do.
Actually, the system does count because the current system is bankrupting the school district, which isn't good for kids.
There should be no question about this. Siblings should be llowed in the sme schools unless they choose other ones. Does anybody in authority evfer read research? It's all about the kids and the families. Figure out how to get it done.
Once the older kids move from elemenatry to middle school, aren't the kids separated anyway? Boston doesn't have K-12 schools does it? Assuming I'm right, why not grandfather the younger sibling into the elementary school but then have both kids go to the middle schools within their new zones.
This comment has been removed.
OMG - Stop your complaining! Contact your Boston Council members: Circulate a petition.
GET OUT and VOTE the dead-beat Menino out of office!