Some Valley elementary school parents protest ‘courtesy busing’ cuts

Assistant Superintendent John Bach said a committee of school officials, parents and police will be formed to look into the matter.

By John Tredrea
   A protest meeting over the school district’s elimination of four "courtesy busing" routes — three for Stony Brook Elementary and one for Toll Gate Grammar students — drew about 25 residents to the Brandon Farm Property Owners Association building late last week.
   On April 7, parents of children who attend Stony Brook said the loss of busing would compromise their children’s safety.
   In response to the complaints, schools Assistant Superintendent John Bach said a committee of school officials, parents and police will be formed shortly to look into the matter.
   "My kids are not going to walk to school," vowed Liz Gambino, who has four children in Stony Brook. Like other parents, she vowed to drive her children to school if the bus routes aren’t restored, and predicted the resulting traffic congestion at the school would be chaotic and unsafe. Also like other parents, she said the traffic congestion at Stony Brook before and after school already is hectic and edgy.
   "I want to be sure that when I drop my kids off in a traffic jam, they won’t get hit by a car," Ms. Gambino said.
   Corrine Beyer, also a Stony Brook parent, was even more worried about trying to pick children up after school if the bus routes aren’t restored. "When you’re picking them up, how are they going to know where to find you?" she asked. "And if they do, they’re going to have to cross a crowded parking lot full of moving cars to get to you?"
   Eliminating the four courtesy bus routes saved the district $100,000 in its proposed 2005-2006 budget, adopted by the school board March 22 and slated to go before the voters next Tuesday. In order to get its budget under the limit set by the state cap law, the board also laid off several teachers and other staff and cut programs.
   The elimination of the bus routes is not a done deal.
   "We will not put kids in an unsafe situation," vowed Assistant Superintendent Bach, who attended the meeting along with board members Carl Swanson, Mel Myers and other school officials.
   Mr. Bach said a committee of school officials, township police and parents will study the matter in depth. The police are being included because "it’s a safety issue," he said. "The committee will walk every path and street" involved in the elimination of the routes before deciding whether children who would have to walk that way would be in jeopardy," Mr. Bach said.
   That committee is expected to be appointed at Monday (April 18) night’s school board meeting. Mr. Bach noted that, if bus routes are restored, other cuts would have to be made to get the budget back under cap.
   Under state law, elementary school students who live less than 2 miles from school are not required to be bused. Over the years, providing bus service to such students has been referred to as "courtesy busing."
   "To me, quite honestly, it’s not a courtesy – it’s required. Just look at the streets," said Brandon Farms resident Bob Giangrosso.
   "In the morning while children are walking to school, people are flying down these streets at 60 mph on their way to work," another man said.
   Teresa Castonguay said she had qualms about voting for the school budget as it now stands. "I feel like I’d be voting for something that would take busing away from my kids," she said.