A letter to the BOE of Frederick County Maryland, by a very tired mommy crusader.

A letter to the BOE of Frederick County Maryland, by a very tired mommy crusader. 

 

Hello,

I am Becca Clark, a parent, PTA volunteer, and substitute teacher at UES, and I am very tired.

Most of you remember me as the “bathroom crusader”. I started advocating for Urbana Elementary and our lack of resources in 2011, and I am still here.  I was told Urbana Elementary would get a much needed renovation in 2012, 2015 then 2017, now 2018, or never. I am still here. UES had its last renovation in 1977. 1977! We have open classrooms, often separated by cabinets or shower curtains. I know most of you know this because I have shown you around our school to show you that we cannot adjust to overcrowding like many other newer schools. You agree with me, promise me that something will be done. You promise me that you won’t forget us. Then you do.

I am tired. I tell you each year that we are the fastest growing community in the state of Maryland. I tell you that every new school in Urbana has opened at or above capacity. I tell you that we are still growing in Urbana, with about 700 new residences to be built in the next few years. I tell you that the numbers the BOE uses for children per household is off by about 200% in Urbana. You know, you say, you’re working on it. We need another new school, not just to alleviate crowding, but to keep things the way they are, which still isn’t ideal. You nod your heads, you promise change, but I’m still here.

I tell you about our hallway, we only have one. I tell you about our lockdown drills, where we have kids in closets and bathrooms. I tell you about our bathrooms, where kids wait in line during instruction times. You know, you say. Something will be done. Yet here we are.

Maybe you think that because we live in Urbana we can handle it. There seems to be a lot of bias about our community from those that don’t live here. But I invite you to really look at us. We are a very diverse community of scientists, teachers, farmers. We have first generation Americans and families who have lived in Frederick for generations.  We have kids in wheelchairs and kids in the spectrum navigating narrow, makeshift hallways, and loud, distracting open spaces. Yet they love it here, because we are a family. Again, it’s not ok to expect our kids to adapt to this year after year.

Our teachers are amazing. They teach in classrooms where you can hear every word being said in the classroom next door, because there is no door. Yet they teach, and the kids listen. And they excel. That doesn’t mean that it is right or acceptable to expect them to continue to do so.

I am tired. Tired of asking you to help us at UES. Now it’s community versus community, and it is extremely not fair. I know you have a very hard job. But it is a job you said you would do. Over and over and over again. Please do it. Please help us. I’m begging now. And I’m still very tired.

Becca Clark