Auburn MA Public School Bus Fee - Update pg 13 #184

[mom2minniemouse]

Hi! I grew up in Webster, which is in your area, and they wouldn't even pick up a kid if they didn't live less than 2 miles away.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Well, now, wait a minute - exactly the end of your driveway, or just before your driveway, or just a teeny tiny eentsy weentsy itty bitty little bit closer to the school than your driveway. Because, unless it's the latter, and the bus is a tenth of a mile long, the school's argument doesn't hold water. Oh, wait - unless your driveway is on the far side of your house, away from the school, and your front door is closer to the school?

Well, technically the bus pulls into the middle of the intersection ( I think for safety purposes to block oncoming traffic so everyone sees the bus) at my driveway - so technically it is a teensy bit further away from the school . We live on a corner lot and it is a 4 way intersection, not including our driveway of course. Last year my son would play in our driveway and then walk to the middle of the road and board the bus with the other 2 students who ride.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I grew up in Oxford (1977-98)....guess I should have stayed there Lived near the no longer Joslin School and OLD Middle School.

I'm not far from there. Nothing is far in Oxford. lol Been here since 1993.

we could all have a budget board mini-meet. Using coupons for some restaurant of course. *wink*

 

[luvthatdisney]

I have been watching this thread since it started. It is interesting to see how different school systems are from state to state. I live in NC and actually work at my daughters middle school. We live about a mile from the school so my kids were "supposed" to walk. But I always took them or I shared the task with a neighbor.

Could that be an option for you? Could you find someone to take your kids to school and you do the pick up or vice versa? It may come down to finding a different part-time job to accomodate the kids school hours. Just trying to find alternatives.

The only other option I can see is to vote out this school board and get a new one that can make a half decent policy on bus riding. That goes for the state level as well. Usually politicians have a good deal to do with laws like these and the public needs to stand up and find people that are willing to do the right thing for the kids.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Honestly, I'm a fighter too, but you really have to pick your battles. This one isn't worth the energy that you are expending on it IMHO. My old town in Central MA had to charge for busing after the Prop. 2 1/2 override to fund the buses failed. If this issue is that important to you, I'd put my energy into getting a Prop. 2 1/2 override onto the ballot to fund the buses rather than arguing over $200. Auburn isn't exactly a huge town, and you're risking some sort of retaliation in the future by the powers-that-be over $200. I don't think that it's a great idea.

This is not a battle over $200 but a battle over at least $1,000.
The OP stated that this was for a child entering 1st grade and indicated the bussing rules will apply through 5th grade. So this is a fight over at least 5 years of fees. And the number could easily surpass $1,000 if the OP has other children or the fees get increased over the years.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

This is not a battle over $200 but a battle over at least $1,000.
The OP stated that this was for a child entering 1st grade and indicated the bussing rules will apply through 5th grade. So this is a fight over at least 5 years of fees. And the number could easily surpass $1,000 if the OP has other children or the fees get increased over the years.

The school we are currently in is K-2 so the total for the 3 years (per child & we have 2 children) would be at least $600. That is providing that (as you also state) the fees do not increase over the next 3 years. Our school system is set up so it is grades K-2, then 3-5 in the next school, and then I am not sure how the middle/high school grades are set up. The primary school (K-2) is the only school that is too far away to even consider walking (IMO). The next school is right down the road (about 1 mile) but across the street from my inlaws so even IF they walked it would only be to their house and then we would pick them up there. I actually do not have a problem paying for a bus pass after grade 2 upon moving to the new school because it would be a matter of convenience for us, not a matter of necessity (IMO). I have contacted the school this AM requesting in writing a letter stating this ridiculous route they are claiming is the shortest/safest and Wednesday night is judgement day - they are to tell me their decision on waiving the fee. I have already run google earth, yahoo, msn mapping on that route and it is showing between 2-2.1 miles for the walking path so I can't see how they can say we live 1.9 but the kids have to walk 2.1

 

[mom0299]

I'm just amazed that there are so many school systems that charge kids to ride the bus. I've never heard of such a thing.

 

[gonemousin']

I'm just amazed that there are so many school systems that charge kids to ride the bus. I've never heard of such a thing.

Neither had I until I read this thread. I'm amazed by some of the fees. My school district doesn't have a school supply shopping list either - they provide everything (books, rulers, notebooks, pencils, etc).

Good luck OP - I hope you get this worked out to your satisfaction.

 

[BibidiWannabe]

Our school supply list here in MA is ridiculous. Each of the 5 teachers of my DS in Middle School had a specific requirements from sticky notes, to specific thickness of notebook, to disinfectant lotion!

We were amazed how much they requested.

To top it off, they did not give us the list until one week after school started. So everyone was scrambling at Staples to get supplies, and ofcourse they ran out...

getting off my soapbox now...

 

[HelenePA]

thinkness of notebook????? WHY WHY WHY???? They sound pretty crazy up there!

can i ask how much these teachers get paid there?? I know it really has nothing to do with this.. but YIKES!

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Ya want to hear another kicker that just makes me about this situation. The route that the school system has come up with and the police "supposedly" claim is safe includes a level 3 sex offender on it!!! The street behind us is a sexual predator and the school feels THIS is the best route What are they thinking!!!

 

[cats mom]

If I'm reading correctly, the letter of the law is all about the distance of the residence from the school, not the route you choose to to take.
Either the residence is more than 2 miles, thus qualifying for free bussing; or it's not, in which case bussing is still available, but for a fee.

Yes, they opened themselves up to disputes with the bit about exceptions to the policy based on road conditions or physical safety of the kids. (it's somewhat surprising they included that at all IMO) However, even then it says that those exceptions may be made, not that they must be made. Guess legal counsel was awake that day after all, eh?

BTW, in our district if you don't meet the mileage requirement, you don't ride, period. So having the option to pay and still ride, even if you don't fall within the boundaries, sounds fair to me.

I have to admit I probably fall on the side of the district on this one. I'm assuming they used the same method to calculate distance for the OP's house as they did for all the others in the district. They have to draw the line somewhere and somebody has to be the one that just misses the cut-off.


If there was no bus option at all, I could see fighting the battle based on safety of the route. But it seems like it's a personal choice at this point. The option to pay the fee, as other families probably have, and have access to bussing is there.

To clarify... since OP was granted a waiver and didn't pay last year, this battle is actually over less than the $600 figure posted overall though, right?

Anyway, all that said... as I posted before, I do applaud the OP for going to battle for a cause she believes in and for conquering her fear of public speaking to do it. Not an easy thing!




.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

To clarify... since OP was granted a waiver and didn't pay last year, this battle is actually over less than the $600 figure posted overall though, right?

Anyway, all that said... as I posted before, I do applaud the OP for going to battle for a cause she believes in and for conquering her fear of public speaking to do it. Not an easy thing!.

Okay, so $500 if you take off DS's waived fee last year off the $600 total. Still not a drop in the bucket for a family.

 

[katieandallycat]

Ok, I've chimed in a few times in the past, regarding my girls. My question is why do we think we are entitled to the bus? Growing up, there was no transportation provided to us kids. You walked, rode a bike, carpooled or took the city bus. Of course this was in the day were we were left home alone at age 7. Daycare? back then it was, what's that?
Now that I am transporting my DD, I finally am able to get to know the staff, other parents, kids. And most importantly, I am able to see how she is getting along these people, since she is autistic, this is very important.

 

[gonemousin']

Ok, I've chimed in a few times in the past, regarding my girls. My question is why do we think we are entitled to the bus? Growing up, there was no transportation provided to us kids. You walked, rode a bike, carpooled or took the city bus. Of course this was in the day were we were left home alone at age 7. Daycare? back then it was, what's that?
Now that I am transporting my DD, I finally am able to get to know the staff, other parents, kids. And most importantly, I am able to see how she is getting along these people, since she is autistic, this is very important.

I'm not sure where you live, but in my area, the roads are narrow two lane windy twist rural roads without sidewalks. Walking two miles to school for my DD would be an impossibly unsafe task, taking her through dangerous intersections, many of which do not have crosswalks. Being that the OP is from Massachusetts, I'm willing to bet her road conditions are quite similar in landscape.

And for what it's worth, I'm in my 30's and I most DEFINITELY did not stay home alone when I was 7 years old. I clearly remember having a baby sitter. And I certainly had (free) bus transportation and we lived within 2 miles of my elementary school.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

...My question is why do we think we are entitled to the bus?...

Because the taxes we pay are paying for these busses!

BTW, I too have never heard of paying for riding a bus. When I was growing up, the way it was set up was that the school had fixed bus stops and the stops were a minimum of 2 miles from the school (with some exemptions from time to time). If you were within the 2 miles, you either walked to school, walked to the bus stop closest to the school, or carpooled.

 

[HelenePA]

I know for a fact my HS has had free buses to and from school since the early to late 60's. I'm not really sure of before then. My mom, I and my kids have all gone to the same one, as did my gram, but I'm not really sure if she had a bus or not I'd call and ask but she passed away (as did my mom so I can't ask her either)

 

[KevGuy]

...My question is why do we think we are entitled to the bus?...

I assume you have no clue as to why you pay taxes at all either? Sorry, but up here in tax-achusetts we think this stuff should be included, lord knows they get enough money from us all every year and the rates only go up they sure as heck don't go down like my property value the last year or two!

 

[katieandallycat]

Ok, true I grow up 2.5 miles away, by car. It was less on foot, because you could use the alley ways. So no they were not windy twisty road. If we had a parent volunteer there was a crossing guard.

I only remember the bus for kids that had physical challenges in our area.

We did own a cabin and the local kids did have a bus, because the local school was 2 towns away, about 15 miles.

My DH, only lived a mile away, but again nobody but special needs where bussed, didn't matter where you lived.

As far as staying home alone, that's how it was done where I lived. Mom went back to work or school when you were around 1st or 2nd grade.(depended on if you had a younger sibling, I was the younger sibling). My 9 year old sister would come home about an hour after me. They usually had us check in with one of the neighbors.

As far as now. Think the police recommend not before 12, and no babysitting before 14, and they urge them to have a class in babysitting first. My youngest may never be able to stay home alone, due to the autism. I work as a nanny during the day, so when she's home she is with me. My DH works M-F and then I work on the weekend so she is with him.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

Ya want to hear another kicker that just makes me about this situation. The route that the school system has come up with and the police "supposedly" claim is safe includes a level 3 sex offender on it!!! The street behind us is a sexual predator and the school feels THIS is the best route What are they thinking!!!

In Georgia a sex offender isn't allowed to live within a thousand feet any where kids congregate, like daycares, bus stops, etc. It's creating a problem for rural areas here because it's driving the sex offenders out of the metro area.

As someone who lives in the metro area, I'm sorta saying, oh boo hoo, better you than me, but it's hard on the rural counties to patrol as effectively. Still, you have to look at them like cockroaches, for every one you see, there's a hundred you don't know about.

As Mad Eye Moody liked to say, Constant Vigilance!

We pay about 50/year/kid for school supplies, then we give another 25/year/kid to the teachers.

The county gave our school of 1000 kids $43,000 in funds this year. That works out to about 43/kid. The PTA raised over 100k for our school last year. It may as well be private...