Do you agree with this?

[MushyMushy]

Aren't the schools responsible for the children until they get home each day? I thought I read once that they were.

I still think this is ridiculous because I don't see how their approach is effectively dealing with any dangers these kids might face on the way home. I feel these rules are counterproductive really and just make it harder on all involved.

That's a good question! I had never heard that. Couldn't it be argued, though, that their responsibility ends once a parent steps in?

Some posters mentioned the traffic aspect, and that could be a point. You're going to have buses, walkers, and cars all over the place in the borough.

I'll be honest. I'm not going to let it stop me. It's not something I'll make a stink over or draw a line in the sand, if you know what I mean. I'll just do my thing with my daughter -- maybe choose a new pick up point or something like that.

 

[mjkacmom]

Our town is 3 miles from end to end, and we have no busses. The farthest walk to the MS and HS is 1 1/2 miles. Once the kids are dismissed, they can do whatever they want (dd13 and her friends typically head over to starbucks, of course). Sometimes she walks to school, sometimes we'll drive her most of the way (not going within 2 blocks of the MS - gridlock!). When I need to pick her up for something, she walks 2 blocks and I grab her from there.

Our town was founded over 300 years ago, and can't handle the vehicle traffic well. Drop offs and pickups at the school door are not encouraged, and are very difficult. We have a true town center, with the football field, MS/HS, on the main street, with most of the shopping. Everything is pretty walkable.

 

[N.Bailey]

A mile and a half each way is NOT a far. The limit when I was in grade and middle school was 2 miles or less. If it rains, you wear a rain coat. Olive drab 'slickers' were in style then, rain or no rain. I don't recall ever getting a ride to school from my parents ever.

I don't know what the rules were when I went to school. I always rode the bus.

I do know however that in the town where I live today, we're talking blocks from the school. Otherwise, you can ride the bus. My kids never really rode it much because I drove them most of the time. As seniors now, they drive themselves and even get to park in the closest parking spots on school property (reserved for seniors only).

I would never allow my children to walk over a mile to school alone in today's world though. I can say that with 100% certainty. If they're a bit older and are in a group, I'd still be weary, but I really didn't allow my children to walk anywhere alone when they were little.

 

[mjkacmom]

Personally, I think that's an awful long way to make kids walk to school each way. In my town, we're talking blocks, not miles.
).

My dd walks a mile each way, sometimes getting a ride in the morning, but always walks home in the afternoon. It takes her 15 minutes, and is sometimes the only exercise she gets! I walked a mile to elementary school - I lived on one of the street furthest from the school - but my kids' 5 block walk takes us just over 5 minutes.

 

[lovetoscrap]

Is there anyone you know at the bottom of the hill? If you do then you could ask if you can pull into their driveway and pick your child up there--private property the police can't do squat! Just have her wait in their yard.

I can see if the school and police are concerned about the cars stopping causing a traffic problem. Every car that stops creates a little back up and a hazzard of getting rear ended. Even if you can pull over, that still can create a problem when you are pulling back into traffic. But the way you describe where you live I have to wonder if there is a traffic issue.

Check out the recent national news. There has been a big story about a mom that was told she and her son couldn't ride their bikes to school and she is fighthing that.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I think they're going overboard, but we have a traffic situation in our neighborhood, which backs up to the elementary school. There is a paved walking path that goes between some houses and onto school property. Many parents will park near it and walk up it to get their kids rather than sit in car line. The problem is that some of them are lazy and don't have enough common sense to park on one side of the street. So you end up with a situation of only one car being able to squeeze down the road, and you'll often come over the top of the hill and meet a car head on. Then somebody has to back up into a driveway. It's a mess.

 

[Pigeon]

This is just plain stupid.

 

[becjlek]

They are nuts and I bet a lot of other parents are thinking the same thing.

 

[Planogirl]

I was livid when the local middle school wouldn't let DS ride the bus that we could see stop outside our window. He was just within the line.

I wouldn't have even had an issue with him walking at the age of 11 if some of the streets weren't like raceways with no school zones. An 11 year old doesn't need to be walking along and crossing high speed roads IMO.

The parents around here pay for a private bus service so that's what we had to do. It was only an hour that he needed to stay alone and the driver made sure he got inside safely so it worked out well in that regard. I didn't like it though, our school taxes are high enough! And I definitely wouldn't have taken kindly to being told where I could pick up my son.

 

[Kimberle]

Wow, you must live in a very safe town since the police don't have anything better to do (like fight crime) than to make sure a parent doesn't pick up a kid walking home.

Once the kids leave school property, the school is not responsible for them. If they are so "worried" then they should provide buses for all the kids.

 

[wdwfan16]

At first I thought it was a stupid idea but then I realized how can somebody really know that the parent is picking them up or a stranger. Maybe they are getting calls of abductions and it is really the parents.

 

[MushyMushy]

At first I thought it was a stupid idea but then I realized how can somebody really know that the parent is picking them up or a stranger. Maybe they are getting calls of abductions and it is really the parents.

The whole safety issue was my thought too, but it still doesn't seem very rational. The same arguments could be made about kids riding buses or whatnot. Even kids who are picked up at the door could be picked up by the wrong person because teachers don't check who's picking them up -- they just check to make sure the kid has a note to be picked up.

Kimberle, yes it is pretty safe here. I'm not saying there is no crime, but it's still a town where people leave their houses and even cars unlocked.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'd, too, imagine their rationale is that it's a safety issue. Cars banging U Turns, slowing down searching for their child, pulling out into traffic, etc, can picture it now. They'd probably have to hire someone to direct traffic there if enough people do it on a regular basis.

OTOH, given the laws of the land, I can't imagine that a charge of "stopping on side of road to pick up own child walking home from school" would really stick in a court of law. The rule would probably first have to be sanctioned by your town's administrators, as a start, and even then it seems to me it could be fairly easily challenged.

I can relate to the insanity of it all. Had a similar issue I had to deal with for several years, and it seemed that, while everyone agreed it was nuts when they heard the situation, I couldn't find any "officials" who were willing to help change things. Until a new official came to town who'd had a personal experience with the issue I was having problems with, and in the blink of an eye, he fixed it. So frustrating sometimes.

 

[Stitchfans]

Stupid. I've been driving DD to school from pre school on up to now and she is a sophomore in high school. Yes, granted I have always gone straight to the school and dropped her off at the school, but if we chose to do it differently it would be no one else s business but our IMO.

 

[Mom23Disneybelievers]

Are they thinking that extra policing and staff to watch the area is cheaper than bussing the kids within that 1.5 miles? I thik that it is your business when and where you pick your children up once they are off the school property.

 

[mamacatnv]

Our walk zones are:
1 mile elem
2 miles middle
3 miles highschool

Often the roads have no sidewalks etc. but that is the rule.

As for parents getting their kid along the way the school has no rights once they leave and a school does not need to be informed on a daily basis what your intention is. I would flood them with calls just to make a point, but I am wicked that way

In our district and under state law if the school gets them to school ie bus then the school must get them home. In other words if a kid is suspended etc it is still the schools responsibility to get them home THAT DAY. Otherwise their liability is from point of entry to point of exit. The End.

Someone is on a major power trip and I would absolutely take this matter all the way to the district, that is just stupid. Tell me I can't pick up my kid who has walked half way home, I don't think so!

 

[MichelleVW]

Personally, I think that's an awful long way to make kids walk to school each way. In my town, we're talking blocks, not miles.

.

Really?? a mile and a half?? That's not a long way at all. My girls walked that far in elementary school every day. We lived on a military base, so it may have appeared "safer" than outside the gates, but it's probably not. I took them to school if it were raining but other than that they walked or rode their bikes. A mile and a half is no way too far for a healthy child.

To the OP, I think it's just nuts!

 

[Pigeon]

Really?? a mile and a half?? That's not a long way at all. My girls walked that far in elementary school every day. We lived on a military base, so it may have appeared "safer" than outside the gates, but it's probably not. I took them to school if it were raining but other than that they walked or rode their bikes. A mile and a half is no way too far for a healthy child.

To the OP, I think it's just nuts!

We have plenty winter mornings with windchill of well below zero. I think that is too far for a kid to be walking in the morning.

 

[mhsjax]

Really?? a mile and a half?? That's not a long way at all. My girls walked that far in elementary school every day. We lived on a military base, so it may have appeared "safer" than outside the gates, but it's probably not. I took them to school if it were raining but other than that they walked or rode their bikes. A mile and a half is no way too far for a healthy child.

To the OP, I think it's just nuts!

I would let my kids ride their bikes la mile and a half, but there is no way I would make them walk that far. First it is too early, 2nd their back packs are way too heavy, plus they carry laptops and their lunch. Most of the time it is way too hot and my kids get plenty of exercise, they are doing something about 1-2 hours everyday after school that involves physical activity. So my kids are healthy, but IMO it is too far for kids that early carrying heavy backpacks to be walking to school.

 

[Becky2005]

I haven't read through everything but you probably need to see what the school's jurisdiction is.

I know in our town it's something called "door to door" -- so basically, let's say bullying happens to the kids while they are walking to school -- the school can enforce detentions, suspensions, etc... for that even though it's not on school property. Which is why with MushyMushy saying it would be her daughter that would get in trouble at school even though it's after school & not on school property.

I'm not 100% clear on all the details (I suppose I should be but there is always grey areas)...because I don't know how that would work if a child did get kidnapped on the way to school. I don't think they would be liable.

It's one reason they enforce the you can't play on the playground equipment after school unless A. your parent is there or B. you go home first & then come back later. That also mostly has to do with just the getting out of school chaos that can ensue.

I'm trying to figure out what they can charge you with myself. All I can think of is if there are residents at the bottom of the hill, they called to complain about gridlock or something. Does this mean you can't drive them DOWN the hill in the morning & let them walk the rest of the way (I know that doesn't make a lot of sense to do but it's the same concept).

By Middle School here though -- kids are pretty much expected to be on their own to know what in the world they are doing after school. Most kids are bussed because our MS is out in the cornfields (it used to be anyway), they do have activity busses.