Parent of special needs children frustrated at lack of BPS communication as remote learning looms

BOSTON — Boston Public Schools begin fully remote on Monday, which is about three weeks later than normal because of the pandemic. Lisa Walsh is running around with her daughter this weekend trying to prepare for the first day of school in just two days.

“So we get contacted two days before school starts and we still don’t have answers, we don’t have schedules, we don’t have all the service providers as far as I know,” said Walsh, who lives in Dorchester. “So if that is something they’re working on, it is not something they’re communicating.”

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Walsh said both of her children have IEP’s and need extra services for their special needs, so she’s pretty frustrated to still not have their schedules.

“So for someone like my daughter, who has autism, she needs to know what to expect and having expectations for the day is a really good way to avoid her getting upset or her having meltdowns,” Walsh said.

Walsh is starting to get worried about what the beginning of school will be like, especially for her daughter who doesn’t want to be on video during virtual classes.

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BPS said while all students will start remote learning Monday, students with the highest needs will be able to begin a hybrid learning schedule on October 1 to better access the resources they rely on.

“Even if they’re saying they’re working really hard, that isn’t evident to the parents, and when we have to dig as hard as we do and still not get answers, it makes us feel like they’re not really doing anything,” Walsh said.

Walsh added that she keeps reaching out to school leaders to get more information, and it’s possible she’ll get better answers on Monday, but she feels like the first day of school is a little late to learn how this new system will work.

“This is just completely disastrous, it’s unacceptable and all the excuses and blame-shifting does zero to help these kids, and that’s all it seems parents are getting,” Walsh said.

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