District 96 failing to put safety first
A couple of years ago, Kildeer Countryside Elementary District 96 implemented a policy to streamline school bus service, thus eliminating bus stops. We live on a street without sidewalks or street lights. The houses are set on 1-acre lots. Our house is on a corner across from a partially wooded forest preserve. With this new policy, my son is required to walk a quarter mile to a stop that's not within sight. During most of the school year, he will need to leave our house before sunrise. In winters with heavy snowfalls, such as last year's, the children had to walk in the street for almost six weeks until the thaw. In the past, the bus drivers have told supervisors that conditions are dangerous. The early-morning fog and the lack of sunlight decrease their visibility. Many parents drive their children to the stop. With cars blocking the street and snow piled up, the passage ways for the bus are narrow and further decrease visibility.
Since the policy was implemented, parents throughout the district have voiced concern. District 96 has avoided dialogue with parents by dodging phone calls, and passing the buck. While the elimination of bus stops jeopardizes the safety of all children, it especially endangers those who have special needs. While the district claims that a child must have an individualized education plan before transportation can be addressed, they also refuse dialogue with those who have an IEP. Also, many children who should have an IEP have been eliminated from the program due to budget cuts. My son is one of them. Due to his environmental unawareness of safety issues, his pediatrician recommends that bus transportation be close to home. Although I have provided the pediatrician's letter to the district, it has been ignored.
Streamlining the bus service has increased the potential for dangerous incidents in many ways. In one, a child noticed a stranger watching her each day as she got off the bus. The parent's requested that the bus stop within view of their house, at least temporarily. The district refused.
Every child has the right to safe transportation to and from school. Every parent has the right to go to jobs, without worrying about their children's safety. Every child has the right to feel safe on their way to school, at school and on their way home. My son, and many other children do not.
Will it take a repeat, such as Stevenson High School's near tragedy, before District 96 acts responsibly? It appears that the taxpayers are being ignored. Perhaps it's time to vote for board members who care.
Sandra Bersin
Long Grove