Letter to the Editor: Current High School Conditions "Not Mere Inconveniences"

Like many residents, I watched Town Meeting on September 29 to learn about plans for the future of Burlington High School. I hadn’t been paying close attention and this was my chance to catch up. I knew the building was out-of-date, but what I learned was surprising. For example, there are no fire sprinklers. What else had I missed?

What followed was a weeks-long dive into the website of the Burlington High School Building Project Committee, where I learned the building has power distributed through two original 1971 electrical switchboards with visible fire damage, a 50-year-old HVAC system controlled by a computer that uses floppy disks, science classrooms without chemical disposal systems, and a lack of windows throughout the academic spaces.

This led to some interesting conversations with my son, a BHS student, which he’s helped me paraphrase below.

Me: I just found out from Town Meeting that there are no sprinklers in your school. 

Son: I guess I never noticed that. I’ll be more careful with the Bunsen burners.

Me: Did you know that the HVAC system flooded the gym a few years back and it took 7 months to replace the floor? Don’t the students need to use the gym all the time?

Son: I didn’t know. We need it for assemblies and sporting events. 

Me: I just found out there’s no air conditioning in the gym. Does it get hot in there?

Son: We had an assembly yesterday for Veterans Day. It was 40 outside but I was sweating the whole time.

Me: I didn’t realize how hard it is to get between all those offset levels until I went on the building tour.

Son: Yeah, they assign mentors to all the freshmen but mostly they just make sure you don’t get lost.

Me: It really bothers me that people are arguing against bringing the high school up to modern building codes and making it accessible to people with disabilities.

Son: Is that legal?

Me: How many of your classrooms don’t have windows?

Son: Five out of seven.

Me: Mr. Musselman posted a video about poor ventilation and other issues with the science classrooms. Could you please watch it with me and let me know what you think?

Son: Yeah, I remember when my biology class did dissections. After it was over you could still smell the formaldehyde.

These are not mere inconveniences; these are conditions that make it difficult for students to learn and are genuine hazards. If you believe every child in Burlington deserves safe, healthy, functional schools, then help our community meet this challenge with commitment. Vote YES on November 15 and invest in the high school our students need now.

Michele Smith
Wheatland Street
BHS parent