Boston parents still fighting over walls and doors in Blackstone Elementary School classrooms – NBC Boston

When students at a Boston elementary school return to school, they will miss something many people take for granted: walls and doors in their classrooms.

For years, Blackstone Elementary School families have heard various promises from district leaders but seen no results.

Blackstone was built in the 1970s as an open school, but parents say the outdated layout is now a hindrance to learning.

With the help of our colleagues from Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra, we spoke to four Spanish-speaking parents about their children's educational problems.

They described the disruptive environment in which noises from other classrooms or people walking in the hallway interrupt the teacher's instructions.

“It’s something that makes it very difficult to control a class,” says Amanda Lara, who takes two grandchildren to the school.

At a time when school shooting drills are part of the curriculum, parents also told us that teachers and students did not feel safe behind the curtains between classrooms.

“How are they supposed to protect themselves in a violent situation?” asks Semal Rodriguez, who has an auditor at Blackstone who checks 1,000 pounds. “It's impossible.”

Sonia Medina has a son with autism and sent him to another school because she felt he couldn't concentrate. She showed us how he sat in the corner of a classroom, rocking his head back and forth and covering his ears to block out the noise.

Parents, teachers and students are fighting for walls and doors for Blackstone Elementary School in Boston's South End.

“An autistic child is disturbed by the noise and sounds,” Medina said.

Suleika Soto has two teenage daughters who attended Blackstone School in the city's South End.

Since 2018, Soto has been outspoken at town meetings and recalls various financial promises made by district leaders about investments in the school.

But after six years, Soto and other families are still waiting.

“Promises are made, but then nothing happens,” Soto said. “And it seems like it's just been forgotten.”

In February, NBC10 Investigators highlighted the difficult learning conditions at Blackstone Elementary School and how children were concerned about their safety. Here is our update from NBC10 Investigators.

There was reason for cautious optimism in 2022 when district leaders announced they would nominate Blackstone for a state program to reimburse the costs of school construction projects.

However, the Massachusetts School Building Authority did not select the Blackstone project for approval.

“The reality is we have too many school buildings and most of them are old,” said Will Austin of the Boston Schools Fund, a nonprofit that advocates for educational equity and access to quality schools. “Unless there is more transparency in a real plan, I think what is happening with Blackstone will happen in other schools.”

A letter from the new principal to the school community said the district is willing to spend money on a design study to recommend the best path for Blackstone's future.

The City of Boston's website details a similar initiative in the capital budget, but the timeline would realistically require any renovations to be completed in years.

Boston City Councilwoman Julia Mejia is concerned about the message being sent to a school where the majority of students are black, Hispanic and from low-income families.

“What parents want is the bottom line,” Mejia said. “We are communicating to these students that their needs don't matter because we are not acting with urgency.”

Despite our repeated requests, a Boston Public Schools spokesperson did not make anyone from the district available for an interview to discuss the situation with Blackstone.

Even though her daughters have graduated from school, Soto does not give up the fight.

“I'm very interested in this because you're not going to make me a promise and then not keep it,” Soto said. “I feel like I have to hold you accountable.”