School issue: Is this even legal?

[ajk912]

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[pyrxtc]

I don't know baout not being legal, but if I lived that close, I would be walking my kids to school to. I wish I could now. I don't believe he can tell you that you can't walk you kids to school though. That is a personal choice. I hope there are sidewalks !

 

[thegrimdwarf]

Did anyone ask why walkers weren't "allowed"? I'm sure they can't really prevent you from walking your kids - it's not like they can refuse to let them in because they didn't take the bus. But I would think that someone would have raised a question about the rule, and the reason for it.

 

[lisadr]

I don't know if it's legal- but it's pretty neurotic

Is there even bus service available that close? I know at our school the bus will not pick you up if you live that close.

We get letters home complaining about the same thing and people parking in the handicap spaces (which I find really wrong-and bad Karma ). But never-"you can't walk".

You would think the school district would not be happy having to pay for those extra buses to pick up walkers.

 

[LadyShea]

I don't think there are legal means to bar you, or anyone, from walking anywhere.

They may discourage kids walking alone, by not having crosswalks or crossing guards/attendants to ensure the kids can get across the street safely.

However, I would think these decisions would be made by the school board, not the principal, and the rules/policies should be available to any parent who has a question. If your school board maintains a website you may want to look it up.

ETA: What czycropper said is very on point. By having a policy that doesn't "allow" walking, they wouldn't be liable should something happen.

 

[design_mom]

Sorry that your principal sounds like she's being somewhat of a jerk. Our school offers bussing for all students, too, and the drop-off lane can get pretty crazy in the morning.

Our school has a "no walkers" policy, too, but I've walked my child to school and nobody's ever complained. I think what our policy means is that they will not release a child from school, except to his assigned bus, without a parent signature. So if I want my child to walk home from school, I need to walk to school, sign him out, and then walk home with him. They wouldn't let him walk home by himself, even if we lived next door. Once I've signed my kid out, though, I don't think they care how we get home -- car, bike, on foot. I don't have a problem with that policy because it's for safety.

Good luck at finding something that works for your family, and your school.

 

[czycropper]

I would call the School Board Office - it could be how their liability insurance is worded that "walkers" aren't allowed in case of an accident then it would be a liability/coverage problem. That's what happens here in our school district.

 

[jennifer293]

Are you sure the principal meant NO WALKERS period, or no students walking to school alone? I can see them not wanting students to be out on the streets walking alone, but if accompanied by the parent I would not think there is much they can do about it other than maybe once it is dark in the mornings asking that you and your children wear reflective gear.

We have the same issue with our carpool lane...you would think some parents are on crack the way they cannot understand how to enter and exit the school.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

I don't get the not allowed to walk thing either but you are lucky to have bus service. Our schools don't provide bus service if you live within a mile of the school and 3 miles once you attend high school. I live within a mile of the school but in order for my kids to walk they would have to cross a major street that has cars zooming over a hill right before they would need to cross. It isn't even remotely safe. There are also no sidewalks. To me that is crazy. I broke some rules and got my child on the bus because I have older kids that attend middle school and they had to transfer busses at my youngest elem school. I called the bus company and told them it was crazy that my older kids that are a little more capable of crossing a major street could get a ride home from the elem school and but my elem student couldn't. Whoever I talked to went and talked to someone else and they said to put her on the bus. This was last year. I didn't ask this year and just told the teacher to put my youngest on bus #12.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Does your city have a non-emergency police dept number? We have a line we can call for information and questions. I would be inclined to ask a police officer if a school can impose a "no walkers" rule. I would assume that as long as you are following pedestrian traffic laws (no jay-walking, etc.) that they can't tell you not to walk your kids to school.

With all the concerns about the environment, I can't believe a school principal would tell you to start up your car to go 2 blocks when you are willing and able to walk!

 

[delmar411]

The kids aren't allowed to walk to schools here. There are no crosswalks, no crossing guards and when I asked my DD why she didn't just ride her bike the 2blocks to school she said they were not allowed and would be in trouble if they came on their bike.

And they wonder why these kids are out of shape? There are houses literally across the street from the schools and they have to ride the bus.


ETA~ does the 'Safety Patrol' system no longer exist? I went to elementary school in the 80's and we had patrols (students) that were in charge at bus stops and helping kids get across the streets safely...

 

[ajk912]

Now I am starting to wonder what she meant. She was talking about "we don't allow walkers" right after her rant that they provide bussing for everyone, including those who live right across the street. It really is ridiculous as I walk by with my kids to see about 15 kids waiting at the bus stop RIGHT across the street from the school.

If she would have explained that it is a safety issue, and they don't have crossing guards and sidewalks, I would have understood why they don't let kids walk ALONE. But she didn't say that..she just said they don't allow walkers. I do go and sign out my kids everyday and walk them home. Nope, there aren't any sidewalks, but that's because the school is pretty much in the middle of the subdivision. Look to the left of the school, there is a dead end about 100 feet down (there are two small side streets though before the dead end, with about 40 houses -give or take- on each side street, but extremely low traffic. We almost never see a car). This is the way we walk. I can see heading towards the right, that's heading towards the main road and normally it's a dead area EXCEPT during school hours there is a TON of parent traffic. So I may see how they don't want walkers without parental supervision. Still, I am walking with my kids..however I get them to school is my business.

 

[seashoreCM]

1. Errant motorists can be written up for endangering kids boarding or alighting from a school bus.

2. Errant motorists cannot be written up by traditional student school patrols of yesteryear.

3. Errant motorists can be written up by a police detail office performing the role of traditional school patrols.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Aristomommy]

We have a school in a district that doesn't allow walkers because ther are no sidewalks and it is simply not safe to walk. Most school around here prefer that students ride the bus instead of carpooling, because it makes the streets very congested.

Most of the time schools worry about safety and liability. Even when there are clear instructions for parents, many parents ignore the directions and put the walkers at risk. While I'm not sure if it's illegal to do this, the school can always make the safety argument and who would disagree with that?

 

[brandylouwho]

Wow, I guess we are lucky that we can still walk to school--heck we can't get bus service where we live (about 6 blocks from school) so we have to walk or drive ourselves. We do still have crossing guards too.

I would suspect that there is some sort of liability issue with kids (escpecially unattended kids) walking to and from school. In this lovely litigous society we live in...schools often get the blame and the lawsuits for EVERYTHING. This is likely how this district decided to deal with that issue.

Also, the buses can effectivly control what time the kids get dropped off too. Way back when I was a student there were issues with kids coming very early and wandering around, not being supervised--and the school didn't have the funds to pay someone to come early and watch the kids who showed up over 1/2 hour early daily.

 

[DjdBrit]

I am not sure what the legal issues are but our school has a no bike riding to school policy which I think is nuts (and have told the principal so). In this day and age of overweight kids having a no "walkers" policy doesn't exactly teach them much now does it.
My kids and I do ride our bike to school on occasion (ALL wearing helmets) and the kids are allowed to keep bikes in the lobby to keep them safe even though its against the handbook. I talked to the man in charge and he said as long as I am with them he has no problem with it.

I think more should be done to not only keep our kids healthy and teach them a good lesson but encourage the use of less cars. I know its not always practical when kids live further away and in bad weather but most of the parents I see picking up kids in MASSIVE cars they really don't need,live within blocks from the school?????

Anyway I am off to walk to school to get my kids... good luck and keep up the good work

 

[LisaInNc]

I don't understand that at all. I dispise the car line. I park my car and walk my daughter into school, I park my car and walk my daughter out of school. This gives me visability in the school and I get to say hello to her teacher twice a day. I visit the classroom in the morning so I get a few moments to see what she is working on.

I get so digusted with the Mom's who can't be bothered to walk their kids into school. If it's not raining or you don't have little kids in the car, get yourself out and walk your kid into school! It seems to lazy to me. It's actually quicker too. I did the car lane once when it was raining and it took longer than walking into school.

 

[Hannahsmom]

I don't understand that at all. I dispise the car line. I park my car and walk my daughter into school, I park my car and walk my daughter out of school. This gives me visability in the school and I get to say hello to her teacher twice a day. I visit the classroom in the morning so I get a few moments to see what she is working on.

I get so digusted with the Mom's who can't be bothered to walk their kids into school. If it's not raining or you don't have little kids in the car, get yourself out and walk your kid into school! It seems to lazy to me. It's actually quicker too. I did the car lane once when it was raining and it took longer than walking into school.

Wow. You can't be serious. Our school doesn't want parents to walk their kids in to school, much less actually into the classrooms. Not to mention if every parent parked and walked their children in the building, the parking lot would be a nightmare. I wouldn't walk my 3rd grader in anyways. She is fully capable of getting into her class without my help.

To the OP, I would have asked the principal if she had ever heard of a Carbon Footprint.

 

[DawnM]

I think you could just call the district office and ask.

Dawn

I would call the School Board Office - it could be how their liability insurance is worded that "walkers" aren't allowed in case of an accident then it would be a liability/coverage problem. That's what happens here in our school district.

 

[imthatgirl]

my guess is you have misunderstood. you can certainly walk your child to school. but, you can not send your child walking to school, that child would be considered a "walker". most elementary schools across the country are no longer allowing walkers because it just isnt safe.

when a parent walks the kid home where are they getting the children? are they going to the same place to receive their child as the people hwo are driving in? that could be the issue. if your school has K in it there are many guidlines, many of them safety guidlines, that the school needs to adhere to in order to get the accredidation. one of those guidelines involves how kids are picked up and dropped off. it has to be an organized situation. the kids need to be picked up from a parent or gaurdian that has their ID present. of course most schools do not ask for ID(my sons gives us pick up slips we show) but that doesnt mean they arent supposed to.

my guess is shes trying her best to adhere to there guidlines.