Parents, students and staff urge Whittier Tech to revisit blind lottery as officials point to state limits

Public commenters at a Whittier Tech School Committee meeting urged the committee to reconsider the newly implemented blind lottery for freshman admissions, saying the change removes recognition of student effort and harms families of school employees.

Logan Hardy, an eighth-grade student at Nettle Middle School, told the committee he has long wanted to attend Whittier Tech and asked the board to "reconsider allowing the superintendent flexibility to accept children of staff members and to look for ways to recognize student effort during this transition." He said the blind lottery left students who had worked toward admission feeling their effort "no longer matters."

Nicole Hardy, a parent and spouse of a Whittier facilities manager, said the lottery "did not consider any of [students'] individuality" and urged the committee to allow "reasonable and transparent exceptions, including sibling preference, admission consideration for children of school staff that live in district and superintendent discretion." She said some students admitted by lottery may not be prepared for the program school environment and that the change has already caused "harm to kids."

Amanda Crosby, vocational coordinator at Whittier, introduced her daughter, Laya, who was placed on the wait list, and told the committee that while she understands the regulations come from the state, "a system designed to promote equity should not eliminate professional judgment, disregard demonstrated commitment or undermine the vocational workforce pipeline." Her remarks drew applause.

Committee members acknowledged the disappointment and confusion among families but said legal guidance from state education authorities constrains local options. One member summarized the legal view: "the new DESE guidelines do not give us the ability to give staff members preference. We checked with legal counsel." Superintendent Lynch later echoed those limits, saying the only determination she is permitted to make on appeal is "whether the lottery was conducted correctly." Lynch also said the lottery was implemented with integrity but "the random nature of the lottery does not account for a student's dedication, preparation, or long-standing goal of attending a vocational school."

Other committee members disagreed about the trade-offs. A proponent of the blind lottery said public schools cannot "earn their way into public schools" and that, given limited seats, a blind lottery broadens access for students who previously were excluded by selective admissions. Several members said the current policy is a one-year trial and recommended reviewing results and policy options for future years.

Votes at a glance: the committee approved routine business during the meeting, including the Jan. 14, 2026 regular minutes (motion by Mr. Fitzgerald; second Mr. Murphy), the Jan. 14 executive session minutes, the treasurer's report and payments, and three overnight field trips (All-State Wrestling in Springfield; New England Wrestling Tournament in Providence; ski club trip to Tenny Mountain, N.H.). Roll-call votes for the minutes and reports recorded affirmative votes from named members with Mr. Slovski recorded as 'stay'/abstain for at least one minutes vote; the field trips passed on a roll call with yes votes recorded by members.