To the Editor:
In June, the doors of the Paul A. Dever Elementary School will close for the last time, ending a decade-long saga of state receivership and district uncertainty. While Boston Public Schools (BPS) frames this as a necessary step in a “data-driven” Long-Term Facilities Plan, the families of Dorchester and South Boston see a different reality: the loss of a vital, inclusion-based community and a building left in limbo.
The district’s current plan suggests the Dever building on Mt. Vernon Street may serve as “swing space” to facilitate the renovation of the neighboring Ruth Batson Academy (formerly the McCormack). While construction logistics are important, “swing space” is a temporary label for a permanent loss.
There is a more logical path forward. The Dever and the Batson are already connected by more than just a bridge; they are a singular educational ecosystem. Instead of closing one half of the campus and displacing hundreds of students, the district should utilize the Dever building to house the middle school grades (7–8) while the Batson wing serves as the high school (9–12).
This unified 7–12 campus model would:
Preserve the Inclusion Model: The Dever has built a specialized support system for students with disabilities that is difficult to replicate in “receiver” schools.
Ensure Stability: Dorchester families deserve a predictable 7–12 pathway that doesn’t require navigating the lottery every two years.
Accountability for Spending: The BPS capital budget has seen a staggering $541 million increase for “long-term planning.” Taxpayers deserve to see that money reinvested into existing neighborhood anchors like the Dever, rather than seeing buildings sit vacant while enrollment numbers are used to justify further cuts.
The district claims that closures are not about cost savings, but about “high-quality student experiences.” If that is true, then the experience of a student on Columbia Point should not be defined by displacement. Let’s stop treating our school buildings like surplus real estate and start treating them like the community hubs they are meant to be.
The bridge between the Dever and the Batson shouldn’t lead to a dead end. It should lead to a future.
Cheryl Buckman
South Boston
