Dear Billy T and Somerville/Medford News Weekly Speakup Line,

This is my sons letter to the Mayor, Superintendent, and SC: #somervillehighschoolkidsmatter

My name is Derek Sebasitao,
I am a senior at SPS. I have been a student at SHS since Freshman Year, right before construction was being started. Last year school was supposed to be out for 2 weeks then we have been out for a whole year due to the pandemic.

We have been given information from our teachers that were given to them by higher ups that High School Students would be in school FIRST. Clearly we were lied to by SPS. We are confined to our rooms/homes doing having our classes with really no human interaction. I find my self as a student questioning What am I getting out of this?

When you made your plans for the elementary schools.. Did you forget that you had High School students in the city. How dare you give us false hope about normalcy in our lives. We are still kids and we matter also not to be put to the side.

The Class of 2021 is graduating this year.. Did you remember or did you for get about that like you forgot about the whole high school.
You also have a principal from an elementary school that is gloating that he has secured his place at the High School.. But where is ours.

Your constantly looking at DATA but did you remember reading the DATA about kids comiting suicide. Most often that happens in HIGHSCHOOL, yet you want to keep them confined to their homes, . That is not ok.

My cousins go to school in Cambridge in much older buildings then we have in the city and every on is ok. Why are you putting us thru this. It is not fair.

Respectfully,
Derek A. Sebastiao