I am a single mother of three children, one at warren junior and two at Beechwood Elementary. The Vicksburg Warren School District has made some very distressing decisions lately in regards to our children. These decisions were made without the knowledge or the input of the parents in this district. The most concerning for me, is the decision to change the hours of the school day. These changes will have the older students getting out after the younger ones leaving parents like me with no one to watch these younger children. This also concerns special needs children whose parents rely on an older or more capable child to watch them after school. I feel like this raises very serious safety concerns for our children and shows the school district has little concern for their welfare. These concerns are not just for the hours after school but also in the morning. It seems the school district is going to allow an early drop off for middle school and high school allowing them to be at school for over an hour before classes start. As if we do not have enough trouble with these children fighting and skipping class this can only serve to increase this problem. This change is based on a study that the older children need more sleep and learn better later in the day my suggestion would be to make these children go to sleep earlier at night and not cause suffering for all of us based on the actions of irresponsible parenting. I understand this time change is in effect in other districts that does not make is suitable for this one. The prime time program offered as after school care is expensive and only has so many slots available this is still going to leave several families in a bind and possibly forced to allow their young children to stay home alone. Parents are not the only ones that pay attention to the comings and goings of their children and I fear there will be predators out there with the knowledge that there are vulnerable young children left at home alone while their older siblings are still at school or their parents are still at work. The choices left to a lot of parents would either be breaking the law by allowing under age children to stay home alone or risking the jobs that pay their bills and feed their children, in order to pick up or be with their children after school. Are we willing to risk the safety and well being of our children?
Lindsay Brown
Vicksburg