Recent comments in /f/massachusetts

ZaphodG t1_jbwrsom wrote

A couple of points:

Those working class parents rely on the schools as daycare. It’s not like they can telecommute.

The schools are heated and I believe every student in New Bedford gets a free lunch. An awful lot of the working poor in triple decker tenement buildings aren’t running their heat and their kitchens aren’t stocked with food for their kids.

The schools need to be open whenever possible even if attendance is optional.

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noble_29 t1_jbvsira wrote

Realistically, the majority of kids in the state (or country) do not walk to school. Most don’t even walk to a dedicated bus stop which is why it takes 18 years to get to work if you don’t time your commute perfectly in the winter and you don’t live in a city.

Second, there are going to be pros and cons to every decision (including keeping things the same). In the days after we lose the hour of sleep, statistically speaking, you have a greater chance to be involved in a motor vehicle accident than at any other time of year. There are also other things to consider such as seasonal affective disorder which affects millions of Americans annually and may be significantly mitigated by having more daylight hours in the winter.

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