Students in wheelchairs deserve better
After a nearly year-long push for a truly accessible entrance, English High students in wheelchairs are still dropped off bumping through the school’s dumpster and delivery side door.
“As a 24-year special ed teacher, I know that it’s a simple thing for facilities to fix, but it could make a huge difference every day for these kids,” said City Councilor Erin Murphy. “Just showing that that city actually cares. This is embarrassing.”
This issue was initially brought before her and other city leadership on Oct. 12, 2022, Murphy said, when a non-verbal English High student in a wheelchair requested help at a Civic Engagement Day event.
“He was saying he would like either the dumpster moved or the polls moved because it’s hard for his teachers when they get off the wheelchair bus to lift them over the ramp and into the building,” said Murphy.
The small side entrance is visibly partially blocked by poles and a dumpster. Custodians, Mur- phy added, previously laid down blacktop to assist teachers and bus monitors getting the wheelchairs over a ramp.
Murphy said she brought the issue to various departments immediately, including the Commission of Persons with Disabilities, Superintendent Skipper’s team, BPS Facilities, and Boston Transportation Department. After start and stop plans and communication, there has still been no construction on the project.
Murphy filed a 17F order with the city yesterday, requesting city correspondences, meeting notes and any drawings or plans related to the building of a new accessible entrance for disabled kids at the school.
In February, Murphy said, the Disability Commission reported they had a proposed a sketch for accessibility improvements to the McBride St. entrance and a compliant ramp. On May 23, she added, she visited school and was told the work would be completed over the summer.
“In May, they did say, ‘Good news, it’s gonna happen, it’s all set,’” Murphy said. “And nothing happened.”
After construction start, Murphy estimated, the project should take “not even a week.”
In August, Murphy said she checked in again with the superintendent but received no response. It’s “unfortunate” to have to use the 17F, Murphy added, but she is no longer receiving responses.
“This is a priority for me,” said Murphy. “I mean it should be a priority for the Disability Commission. It should be a priority for the special ed department in BPS. It should be a priority to the transportation department that’s failed our students miserably so often. It seems like a very easy win, an easy fix to make something accessible and equitable to students in wheelchairs. And they just haven’t done it.