Hi, I’m an eighth grader at Lexington’s Clarke Middle School (Go Bulldogs). There’s been a lot of talk among adults in town about what to do with Lexington High School’s decrepit facilities. The building is cramped, outdated and not up to safety standards. I’m going to share a future Lexington High School student’s perspective: the adults of Lexington should vote YES on Dec. 8! It’s the right thing for the future of our town (and your kids, grandkids, great grandkids… !).
Voting “yes” means we can start building Bloom, a new high school that actually fits everyone. The design can hold up to 3,500 students — almost double what the current school can handle — and gives us space to grow in the future.
Voting “no,” on the other hand, doesn’t actually solve anything. First, there’s no real “Plan B,” it just means nothing would change. Second, the so-called “Plan B” that some people mention (renovating the old high school) is a pretty dumb idea. It would cost nearly as much as building a new one and still wouldn’t fix big problems like overcrowding. When you look at the facts, Bloom is clearly the right option.
I know that if we vote “yes,” construction will be happening the whole time I’m in high school. It’s not going to be a walk in the park for me, but it also won’t be a walk in a construction zone, which is what a renovation would entail. The best part? Future Lexington High students won’t have to deal with all that mess. So, if we vote “no,” we’re basically choosing to keep the same problems for me and every student after me. But if we vote “yes,” we’re investing in something better. Do the right thing for the future of Lexington and vote “yes” on Dec. 8!
Oh, since we’re sharing opinions from anonymous minors, here’s one from a current LHS student:
‘Wait, building a school on protected wetlands will flood neighborhoods? It’s far from my house—why should I care? Hold on, who’s paying a billion dollars for this? You, through your taxes? Why would you do that? The school’s fine as it is—don’t do it.’
There was nothing anonymous about that letter. It was clearly written by a middle student who put his name to it. Just because the letter was written by somebody in middle school doesn’t make the points any less valid.
Your student is misinformed about the cost of the project. With Bloom, the cost to the town will be $543 million + interest. Renovation alone will be $300 million + interest. The phased approach would be ~$760 million + interest and take almost twice the time for full completion.
And the school is not “fine”, there have been six fire alarms already this year due to the failing systems (e.g. water leaking into the one elevator shaft in the main building, setting off water alarms, and keeping that elevator, needed for students and teachers with mobility issues, out of commission for days. There are a lot of systems that need replacing that are not necessarily visible – roof, hvac, and natural gas lines to name a few.
It seems to me that someone who wanted to serve on the School Committee should take on a kinder, less snarky tone when responding to a letter from a student who cares enough about his community to write to the Observer. Don’t we want to encourage our students to be engaged in the process, even if we might not agree with their views?
Thank you for sharing your perspective on this important decision. As an eighth grader, you’re uniquely positioned to speak to what’s at stake here because you’ll be directly affected by whatever choice we make on December 8.
Your analysis of the renovation option is spot-on: spending comparable money for a solution that doesn’t address overcrowding isn’t responsible spending, it’s wasteful. You’ve clearly done your homework on the numbers and the alternatives.
What I love most about your argument is your willingness to accept construction disruption during your own high school years so that future students won’t have to deal with the problems you’ve inherited. That kind of forward thinking is exactly what this community needs more of right now.
The adults in this community would do well to listen to students like you who will actually live with the consequences of our choices. Thank you for speaking up. I’ll be voting YES on December 8.
Thank you for adding your voice to this important conversation, Abraham. Young people like you who are engaged and concerned with local issues give us all a reason to be optimistic about the future. Your summary of the vote before us clear, as is your explanation of the potential impacts of the vote. I also admire your selflessness, knowing that whatever inconveniences you experience while at LHS during construction are worth it so that generations of students who come after you can have a better high school experience. I very much hope that we as a community vote YES on December 8th so that you will get to spend your senior year in the new school. Thanks again for sharing your perspective.
Yes! Thank you so much for your thoughtful letter! As a parent of a current LHS student, I can say that it is definitely time!
Lexington deserves a high school that is right-sized for our student population and meets current education and safety standards. Our students deserve to go to school in a building that is free of rodents, has heating and cooling where appropriately needed, and where the fire alarms are not constantly being set off by rain and other random systems that have gone awry.
The Town NEEDS to vote YES for the debt exclusion on December 8. The MSBA process requires the town vote to pass in order to be eligible for the $121 million in grant money that they have allocated to this project. Let’s not leave this money on the table.
As a parent of a neurodiverse student, your letter truly moved me. Thank you for your courage and selflessness — your willingness to live through construction so future students can have better speaks volumes about your character.
For families like mine, physical space isn’t abstract. We see daily how lighting, acoustics, and room to learn affect our children. You understand that, and it means everything to hear a student advocate for spaces that work for everyone.
Your point about responsible spending resonates too. We should solve the actual problems, not just delay them for the next generation.
I believe we can honor both our students and our environment with thoughtful design and strong protections. Thank you for reminding us what real leadership looks like — thinking beyond your own four years.
I’ll be voting YES on December 8 for a school that reflects our values: inclusive, forward-thinking, and committed to all students.
Abe, thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and well-reasoned letter. It’s clear that you put a great deal of care and reflection into expressing your perspective, and you did so with clarity, balance, and maturity well beyond your years.
I’m sorry that the first comment you received was dismissive. Disagreeing is fine – that’s what dialogue is for – but belittling a young person’s voice isn’t. Your perspective deserves to be heard and respected, and I’m certain that many of your peers share the same hopes and concerns about the high school you’ll soon be attending.
As adults, we sometimes forget that the decisions we make about schools, infrastructure, and community investment directly shape your experience – your learning environment, your safety, your sense of pride in where you go to school. Your letter is a powerful reminder of that, and I hope more people read it with the appreciation it deserves.
Thank you for speaking up and for doing so with such thoughtfulness. Lexington is lucky to have students like you.
I totally understand why some people have concerns — this is a big project, and it’s important to ask tough questions. But when you look closely, Bloom isn’t just a building — it’s an investment in safety, sustainability, and space for every student. The new design protects wetlands, meets environmental standards, and solves overcrowding once and for all.
It’s easy to focus on the cost, but this is really about value — creating a school that will serve Lexington for the next 50+ years. Our current high school simply can’t do that. A “yes” vote on Dec. 8 is a vote for a stronger, safer, and smarter future for our whole town. 🌿💙🐾
Thank you Abraham for reminding all of us why this project truly matters.
Your message is clear, courageous, and grounded in something we sometimes lose sight of in the middle of facts and figures: this is about students — today and tomorrow. Your voice speaks for the thousands who will walk the halls of Lexington High in the coming decades, and it’s inspiring to see such civic awareness from a future student leader.
Abe, I was so impressed by your thoughtful letter about the Lexington High School project. It’s not easy to weigh in on an issue that has sparked so much debate in town, and it was refreshing to hear such a clear and constructive perspective from one of our students.
You did a wonderful job reminding us what this project is really about — the future of our schools and our community. When I’ve visited the high school as a volunteer, I’ve seen firsthand how overcrowded and outdated the building has become. These aren’t problems that can be solved with a simple renovation.
I also appreciated your point that there’s really no “Plan B.” Delaying this project or voting “no” would only set Lexington back years, while costing nearly the same in the long run. It’s heartening to see young residents like you thinking about what’s best for the whole community, not just for themselves.
Thank you, Abe, for reminding us what’s at stake — and for giving all of us a hopeful glimpse of Lexington’s future.