BOS:311

Graffiti on slide

I am a parent of a student at JFK Elementary School, and I am deeply concerned about the unsafe condition of our school playground. The current playground is more than 25 years old and was never designed for the number of young children now using it, including 3- and 4-year-olds in K0 and K1 classrooms. JFK has also recently become an inclusion school, but the playground is not accessible or developmentally appropriate for many of our students’ needs. As a parent, it is alarming to know that needles have been found in the woodchips where children play, and that parts of the structure are unstable and potentially dangerous for small children. There are gaps in the bridge structures and aging equipment that create real safety concerns. Families are worried that it is only a matter of time before another child gets seriously hurt. Our children deserve a safe, inclusive, and age-appropriate place to play and learn. I am asking the City of Boston and Boston Public Schools to prioritize funding for a new playground at JFK Elementary as soon as possible. This is a community-wide concern, and we urgently need leadership and action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students.