Safety should be top priority in school busing policy
In the sometimes tumultuous world of a child, school ought to be a safe haven.
So getting to school shouldn’t put the child in danger either.
That’s why the Rochester school board needs to take a hard look at its busing policy. The district offers busing for kids who live more than 1.5 miles from school.
In the past, the district, by its own admission, didn’t enforce the policy fairly; some parents worked the system to get an exemption.
This school year, after giving more than 800 families months of notice, the district tightened enforcement. Many fewer exemptions are being granted, and the district is saving $1.2 million. But some parents say the rule poses a hardship, that the distance is too far for walking, or that crime or traffic make the trek to school unsafe.
Certainly parents have a role in getting their child to school if busing isn’t an option. They can car pool, choose a school that’s more than 1.5 miles from home, or take turns with other parents walking children.
But for young children, a 1.5-mile walk is unreasonable. Walking from the downtown Liberty Pole down East Avenue to the George Eastman House isn’t even quite 1.5 miles. Imagine that walk on a frigid winter day.
For board members, figuring out how to pay to bus more kids may seem daunting, especially as the district faces a possible mid-year cut in state aid.
But money concerns shouldn’t take precedent over safety. Two years ago, as interim superintendent William Cala left the district, he recommended that door-to-door transportation be provided for all students for safety reasons. Busing also could combat absenteeism.
For now, a school board committee is reviewing the policy. The board should consider a much more nuanced approach, one that takes into account grade level, crime statistics by neighborhood, and traffic patterns. The days of a one-size-fits-all policy should end.
