In a time of financial crisis, we must re-examine how we spend our money. As a taxpayer, community member and parent of a first-grader and a fifth-grader who attend Chautauqua Elementary School, I want to express my support for the idea of a single start time for the three schools.

Teenagers would benefit from a later start time because their bodies are programmed to stay up later at night and sleep in during the day. They have trouble staying awake during their first couple of classes. Younger kids tend to get up earlier anyway, so they don’t need to start school as late as they now do.

The district could save a lot of money by eliminating the early morning bus run. Even if a couple of buses would have to be added, we’d come out ahead.

I know this will pose a challenge for sports participation. And sports are important. But they are not the primary purpose of our education system, and the interests of sports should not trump the interests of education or the realities of a strained budget.

Given the state budget situation, we need to look at big changes. This is a change we could make that could save a lot of money without cutting teaching staff. We need to make sure the bulk of our financial resources go to education, not transportation.

— Kathleen Fellbaum