To: Walt Disney Magnet Local School Council
Reverse the decision for a 7:30 am school start time at Walt Disney Magnet School
We call on the Walt Disney Magnet Local School Council to reverse its decision to move our school start time to 7:30 am, as it is unworkable, unsafe and reduces family time.
Why is this important?
On May 19, the Walt Disney Magnet Local School Council voted to move our school day start time to 7:30 am, with only one dissenting vote. The LSC made this decision with little advance notice and without conducting a survey of parents, and despite the overwhelming opposition of parents in attendance at the meeting.
The reason given for this decision was that substantial savings of more than $200,000 would be made available to Disney. While this is a significant amount, the savings are outweighed by the higher costs that the earlier start time will impose on our children and our families:
a) Tardiness will increase dramatically. On many days, even in good weather, some 50-100 students are waiting in line to enter the building at 8:10 am. In winter the numbers are often far higher. With only 15 minutes between the earliest drop-off and the opening of doors to students, traffic jams are unavoidable. Because Disney students come from across the city, an earlier start time will only aggravate these problems.
b) Student safety will be at risk. From mid-December through early February, dawn will come less than half an hour before the school doors open. This will be hazardous for those who walk to school and those walking from the parking lots. Those who take the bus will be waiting in the cold and near total darkness, putting their safety at risk as well.
c) The day will be too long for young children. For children in after-school programs at Disney, the Park District and elsewhere, the day will be significantly longer, as working parents will still be unable to pick up their children until 5:30 or 6:00 pm. Given the earlier start time, students will be out of their homes as much as 12 or more hours per day. This will cause increase stress and fatigue for children and limit family time, as bedtimes will have to be earlier as well.
The reason given for this decision was that substantial savings of more than $200,000 would be made available to Disney. While this is a significant amount, the savings are outweighed by the higher costs that the earlier start time will impose on our children and our families:
a) Tardiness will increase dramatically. On many days, even in good weather, some 50-100 students are waiting in line to enter the building at 8:10 am. In winter the numbers are often far higher. With only 15 minutes between the earliest drop-off and the opening of doors to students, traffic jams are unavoidable. Because Disney students come from across the city, an earlier start time will only aggravate these problems.
b) Student safety will be at risk. From mid-December through early February, dawn will come less than half an hour before the school doors open. This will be hazardous for those who walk to school and those walking from the parking lots. Those who take the bus will be waiting in the cold and near total darkness, putting their safety at risk as well.
c) The day will be too long for young children. For children in after-school programs at Disney, the Park District and elsewhere, the day will be significantly longer, as working parents will still be unable to pick up their children until 5:30 or 6:00 pm. Given the earlier start time, students will be out of their homes as much as 12 or more hours per day. This will cause increase stress and fatigue for children and limit family time, as bedtimes will have to be earlier as well.