Parents of young children express concern about Boston school timing changes

BOSTON — Parents sounded the alarm after Boston Public Schools announced last Wednesday that they will change school start times for many next year.

An overflow crowd gave Superintendent Tommy Change and the school committee an earful at a meeting Wednesday night.

“You asked us what we wanted and then you did what you wanted,” one mother, Susan Lombardi-Verticelli, told the committee.

Next fall, dozens of elementary and K-8 schools across the city will begin classes as early as 7:15 a.m.

RELATED: Boston public schools to change start and release times next year

For some families, it means getting out the door at least two hours earlier in the morning

“If this goes through and she has to wake up at 6 a.m. to get to school at 7:15... By 3 p.m. she's going to be napping in after school. And that's not what I want for my kid,” mother Giselle Pena said.

By staggering and adjusting start times, Chang says the district will save money on bussing, which currently costs more than $100 million annually.

“Our goal here was to make the most equitable decisions for the entire school system.  We knew we needed to move start times for high school students later and move elementary school departure times earlier,” he said.

RELATED: BPS parents outraged at changes in school start times

Parents complained about their kids waiting for buses in the dark before sunrise and having nowhere to go when the school day ends at 1:15 in the afternoon.

“I have five kids and I don't make a certain amount of money that they can’t get into an afterschool program because I can’t afford it. Who's going to pay for them?” mother Antonia Rodriquez said.

Cox Media Group