[Mpls] Impact of cuts in school bus transportation

[Socialist2001 at cs.com]

The district's communication officer replied to my Email, stating that it 
will take a little time (hopefully no more than 10 working days) to get together 
the information I requested (changes in enrollment from Oct. 2002 to Oct. 2003 
broken down by the distance from home to school: less than 1 mile, 1 to 2 
miles, 2 to 3 miles, and more than 3 miles).

The district's communication officer did not say that I was wrong about bus 
service being cut for students living less than 3 miles from school. 

Where did I get the idea that bus service was cut for students living less 
than 3 miles from there assigned schools? 

While distributing campaign literature one morning in the fall of 2002, I 
encountered a parent who was loading up an SUV with elementary schools students 
(hers and maybe another child or two who lived nearby). She was spitting mad 
about recently losing bus service to an MPS elementary school located about 2 
miles from her home. And that was not the only time that this issue came up 
while I was canvassing Minneapolis neighborhoods.

A big cut in the MPS transportation budget was also discussed at the school 
board candidates forum near the end of October 2002.  I recall Judy Farmer 
saying that the district gets some money from the state for transporting any 
student who lives more than 3 miles from school. And I recall Audrey Johnson saying 
something about how extending the walking distance to school would force 
students to get some needed exercise. I predicted that the cuts in bus service 
would have a negative effect on the district's enrollment and the district's 
financial situation. When it comes to the issue of what a reasonable and safe 
walking distance is, it's the opinion of the parents, not the board members, that 
really counts.
 
-Doug Mann, King Field
http://educationright.tripod.com