South Jersey school district reduces number of students eligible for free bus services

Published: Aug 10, 2024 Duration: 00:02:40 Category: News & Politics

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BUNCH OF PARENTS FROM A COMMUNITY IN SOUTH JERSEY ARE NOT HAPPY TONIGHT. THE DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS DECIDED TO CUT BACK ON ITS BUS STOPS AND LIMIT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ALLOWED ON COURTESY SCHOOL BUSSES. ACTION NEWS REPORTER CHARLES WATSON JOINS US LIVE OUTSIDE DEPTFORD HIGH SCHOOL TONIGHT WITH FULL DETAIL. CHARLES. >> YEAH, WALTER, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DEPTFORD SCHOOL, SAYS IT WAS A TOUGH DECISION, BUT ONE THAT WILL SAVE THE DISTRICT MORE THAN $1.6 MILLION ANNUALLY. MONEY, HE SAYS, WILL BE INVESTED IN EDUCATION. MEANTIME, PARENTS, WE SPOKE TO SAY THEY FEEL DISRESPECTED BECAUSE THEY WERE ONLY NOTIFIED OF THE CHANGES LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR IS SET TO BEGIN. >> HOW ARE PARENTS EXPECTED TO NAVIGATE THIS? >> MORGAN BUCHER SAYS SHE'S SCRAMBLING TO FIGURE OUT HOW SHE'LL GET HER TWO CHILDREN TO SCHOOL ON TIME, AFTER LEARNING THEY NO LONGER QUALIFY FOR FREE BUSSING. HER CHILDREN ATTEND DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. >> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THAT'S, YOU KNOW, EAST OF MY HOUSE AND THEN MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE OTHER SIDE, WEST TO GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL. >> SHE'S TRYING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS AFTER SHE SAYS THE DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT CAUGHT PARENTS OFF GUARD FRIDAY WITH A LETTER EXPLAINING ITS DECISION TO CUT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FREE TRANSPORTATION AND THE NUMBER OF BUS STOPS IT WILL SERVICE FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. IN THE LETTER, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS KEVIN NASH SAYS THE DISTRICT WILL NO LONGER PROVIDE FREE BUS SERVICES TO ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN TWO MILES OF THEIR SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN TWO AND A HALF MILES OF THEIR SCHOOL. >> I MEAN, IT'S WRONG. >> IT'S WRONG, MICHAEL ANTHONY SAYS HE'S REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS, WHO MAY NOW HAVE TO WALK TO SCHOOL ON UNSAFE ROADS. IF THE PLAN MOVES FORWARD. >> THERE'S NO PEDESTRIAN WALK ANYWHERE. IT'S THERE'S NO BIKE LANE, NOT EVEN A BIKE LANE. IT'S NOT SAFE AT ALL. >> THE DISTRICT SAYS IT WILL WORK WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO MONITOR THOSE ROUTES, AND SAYS PARENTS ALSO HAVE AN OPTION TO PAY FOR BUS SERVICES AT A COST OF $365 ANNUALLY PER STUDENT. BUGGER SAYS THAT'S A HEAVY BURDEN FOR PARENTS TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET FOR MY HOUSEHOLD, IT'S HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. >> NOT MANY FAMILIES CAN PAY THAT. >> AND THE DISTRICT SAYS IT WILL GIVE PARENTS A PUBLIC PRESENTATION AT THE NEXT BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. SO ALL THE PLANS OF THIS NEW BUSSING PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT WILL BE LAID OUT. THAT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 20TH. FOR NOW, WE'RE LIVE IN DEPTFORD. CHARLES W

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