Dmitry Vasilyev:
A Voice for Children

My views

I am a strong advocate for schools that truly serve children. Inspired by Janusz Korczak, the pioneering educator and children's rights advocate, I believe in nurturing each child’s unique path rather than imposing external expectations. His book, How to Love a Child, is a profound reminder that educators should help children achieve their own goals.

I also draw from Buddhist philosophy, particularly Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty, and strive to lead with kindness, compassion, and generosity—far more valuable than any title. 

As a data scientist and statistician, I’ve worked on diverse challenges, from robotics and agriculture to misinformation analysis at Facebook. Yet, I reject the obsession with numbers for their own sake—data should inform, not dehumanize.

And while I love learning, I shy away from the term “expert”—a sentiment Richard Feynman captured perfectly in Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!.

Why am I running?

There is an elephant in the room. Academic standards are declining, both nationally and in Arlington. Data shows many students are being held back from reaching their full potential. See Here, Here, Here, and Here.

As a parent in Arlington’s schools, I’ve seen firsthand the need to raise the bar—especially in math and science. 

That’s why we started Arlington Math Parents, advocating for stronger academic options. There are other towns where parents banded together e.g. Belmont Math Parents.

The School Committee needs a parent voice purely focused on kids—ensuring academics, not bureaucracy, take priority. I also want to empower teachers to say “yes” to students who want to learn more.

The Arlington School Committee would benefit from a parent of school-aged children. I will help the school committee to disentangle "grown-up issues" (e.g. equity, justice, funding) from kids' struggles. It is important that the school committee focuses on paving the way to provide strong academic education, especially in math, to all children, regardless of their skill level. 

It’s time to refocus on real education. That’s why I’m running.

Issues I am addressing

Too many kids left behind by heterogeneous classrooms

I oppose heterogeneous classrooms and advocate for multiple pathways that better serve all students. Most importantly, this decision was made without asking a single child for their opinion.

The evidence is clear—these classrooms have failed both students and teachers, as recent studies and real-world examples (like Newton schools) demonstrate. At the very least, Arlington should take a hard look at these outcomes before moving forward.

Above all, heterogeneous classes strip children of choice—something no education system should do.

I advocate for multiple pathways for children where each child can choose a level that is best suited for their ability and aspirations. If a child needs an academically rigorous class, they are free to be enrolled in an advanced class, with minimal barriers. If a child later realizes that they "bit more than they could chew", they can enroll in a less intense class the next semester. Note that this is different from "tracking", because the choice should belong to students.

Increased academic boredom and resulting disruptive behavior

I support multiple pathways for acceleration, especially in math, allowing children to test out of classes when they demonstrate advanced skills. This approach offers key benefits:

• Higher student motivation

• Safe opportunities for self-directed learning—kids can challenge themselves and adjust if they overreach

• Reduced stress—current curricula compensate for easy material with excessive nitpicking and discipline, creating unnecessary anxiety

• A healthier outlet for engagement—when students lack academic challenges, they often seek stimulation through risk-taking or disruptive behavior. Studies confirm that academic boredom is linked to emotional difficulties and behavioral problems.

I advocate for self-assessed tracking, where students can choose to accelerate, supported by a low-bar placement test. Standardized tests alone shouldn’t dictate advancement—kids deserve the choice to challenge themselves.

Electronic Devices, Social Media and YouTube

I am against cellphones in the classrooms. If elected, I will also request school administration to educate parents with a strong recommendation to delay handing smartphones to their children and strongly discourage social media use, in every outgoing correspondence. The rationale is that, as multiple studies show, social media use activates dopamine pathways that are addictive.

There is a youth mental health epidemic in the US as described in multiple sources. This is primarily caused by social media use. Social media is designed to be addictive. While banning is impossible in practice, at least we have to educate children on how to cope with modern sources of the "bad dopamine", as described in this NPR episode. 

That said, it would be beneficial to have monitoring tools given to parents and children which tell how much time a child spends on YouTube and social media. Also, there should be tools to set time restrictions for allowed daily YouTube use. 

Inadequate math in elementary and middle schools

Arlington's current math curriculum is based on TERC Investigations, criticized over and over for being inadequate, confusing and ineffective. In fact, the state of Massachusetts CURATE report points to multiple deficiencies. This results in kids lagging behind by the time they arrive at AHS, making it hard for them to attend higher-grade courses. I will vote to replace the curriculum with more rigorous math curricula (multiple choices available). 

School funding issues

School administration is overgrown, draining resources and hurting teacher morale. We need to shift focus to teacher independence and hire the best educators, rather than burdening them with paperwork and excessive oversight.

Teachers know how to teach—they don’t need constant supervision, except in rare cases. Let’s prioritize classrooms over bureaucracy.

Overworked teachers

Teachers are burning out from micromanagement and ever-changing fad-driven policies. We must prioritize proven methods, not constant experimentation on students.

Decisions should be left to teachers whenever possible, with a focus on supporting each student’s individual needs—not bureaucracy.

Contact and Office Hours

I would be more than happy to listen to you, to express my humble opinion and to share your pain.

My address is 18 Cleveland Street, Arlington

My office hours are 9-10AM on Fridays (at above location).

My LinkedIn profile

Email: vasilyev@alum.mit.edu