A Child’s Question About Morningside Breaks Your Heart

Mayor Marchetti joined Slater & Marjo this morning for a wide ranging conversation that started with the scandal that rocked Pittsfield High School in 2024 and the ongoing debate over releasing that report, before turning to the challenges of governing a city in an age where social media rumors spread faster than facts.

That brought us to Morningside Community School, and a story the mayor shared that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. During a recent visit with students there, a child walked up and asked him something that stopped him cold.

"Is it true they're closing this school because we're bad?"

That one question says more about the damage misinformation can do than anything I could write. Somewhere along the way, a child heard something, or overheard something, and carried it around as their own personal truth. These are elementary school kids blaming themselves for a decision that has nothing to do with them.

It is not. The closure comes down to the building itself, an open concept design from the 1970s built without traditional classroom walls, creating a noisy and difficult learning environment that has held students back for years. -iberkshires.com

When will students be notified of what their new school will be?

The mayor told our listeners directly this morning that letters are going out today or tomorrow telling families exactly which school their child will attend next year. Students will be heading to Allendale, Capeless, Egremont, and Williams elementary schools.

The community is also invited to a "Morningside on Parade" celebration on June 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to honor more than 50 years of history.

These kids are not bad. They deserve better than rumors.