John’s Letter to the BOE on the Busing Issue

Good Afternoon,

With all the money the District has put away, I am not clear as to why, for this year at least, we could not offer either Universal Busing or at least a deep discount to ALL families.

Dipti, Tom, Sai, Natasha

I understand the issue of fairness regarding how the roads were determined. It felt deliberate and political and intended to put those BOE members who wanted to change this practice in a damned-if-you-do or damned-if-you don’t situation. I can understand moving forward with the idea of removing Courtesy Bussing and making it all Subscription until a firmer understanding of the need is in place and a real expert (state department of transportation, the town) officially comes out and designates roads as hazardous- allowing for a more informed and equitable courtesy busing program.

What I don’t understand is how the motion was made and approved without building in a cost cap and forcing the issue of price on the vote. All four of you could have worked the cap into the vote, yet you decided not to and made it an after-the-fact discussion point. It came across as either vindictive or ideological and does not serve the interest of our students.

Pam, Gale-

I can understand wanting a courtesy busing designation and wanting those kids you believe to live on hazardous routes to have free bussing.

I don’t understand why you would object to lowering the cost for all families when what you wanted did not materialize.

I don’t understand the argument that lowering the cost would put the District in a financially poor decision when just last year we provided bussing completely free to whatever the number the District decided it is today was. I don’t understand the “Well kids who go to private schools get $1100, so we should charge that to our kids” knowing full well that kids who go to private schools in our communities are well resourced -It seemed intended to make the four that voted down what was a poorly informed list of routes look bad instead of putting our students at the forefront.

All of you are coming across as tone-deaf and politically opportunistic on this issue to some degree.

Except you, Tom. I actually think you are probably coming from an honest place, even though you are wrong.

Step back from whatever is going on here and devise a price tag that helps families, especially working families, cope with this.

Meet halfway—set the cap at $500 and give families making below the median income free busing for this year. Then, use this year to devise a better plan using real experts to define hazardous roads.

Since everyone seems to agree on two roads, maybe include those that are fully subsidized routes independent of income.

Both factions failed to come up with an acceptable plan.

John Migueis