County Issue School Transportation : ...

Gloria Urango, Oxnard mother of three

Although I’m sad that the school districts are to the point financially that they are, I think it’s the responsibility of the parents to provide transportation for their children. I think it’s morally right for any district to charge a bus fee. Parents have usually thought it’s the responsibility of the school district, but when you come down to it, it isn’t. I think it’s excellent that they’ve offered the service. However, they have to look at all the options. I would hate to have to pay for busing. But if it came down to it, I would. Schools have accepted being more accountable for things and now it’s going the other way. For example, parents should immunize their children and the schools should not have to monitor that. School accountability is important, but parent accountability should be stressed. School districts have to try to keep money in the classroom. It’s a tough one. It’s something that parents have taken for granted for so long.

Krista van Nieuwburg, Freshman, Ventura High School

I don’t think it’s right for parents to pay for bus transportation. The school districts provide education, and they should also provide transportation. It seems like they are starting to get cheap and want more money just for the school district. There would be a lot of pollution if parents started bringing their kids to school. I think that would be a problem. Riding the bus is one of the best things you can do because you can get a lot of people to one place in a bus. If the school district charged money to parents for bus service and if the parents got mad about something that happened on the bus, they could sue the district and wipe out all their money. Then where is our education going? I am against charging bus fees. Our parents already pay taxes that include money for buses, so why should they have to pay more? That doesn’t make any sense to me.

Doug Crosse, Board member, Simi Valley Unified School District

What we’re doing is looking at and studying the implementation of transportation fees. There has been no decision made. Presently, a survey is being done by our transportation department and the earliest we would be able to implement it would be the midyear break. My feeling is: If the impact of providing transportation negatively affects the ability to do a good job in the classroom, then school districts have a duty to look at transportation fees. We have this Air Pollution Control District Rule 210 that is impacting us. Thousands of cars going to individual schools have a tremendous impact on the environment. One bus delivering 50 to 100 students has less impact than 100 cars delivering one or two children to the school. It is prudent to look at it. The crux of the reason why we’re looking at it is that obviously the budgets are thin and we have no extra money. That’s the key issue the parents will have to look at.

Nancy Grasmehr, Ventura County transportation commissioner

Being on the transportation commission, I would like to see less cars out on the road and a more effective use of mass transportation, such as having more students ride the bus and using those buses throughout the day for other purposes. If the school district is going to have busing, they should limit parking at school for students and teachers. As far as paying a fee, I’m more concerned about the people to whom money is an issue. There should be some type of waiver so the fee isn’t a burden. But I also understand the crunch the school districts are in. I would prefer to see them use the money they have on the classroom and for instruction, rather than using it on buses. I’m overwhelmed at the number of students I see being driven to school. Those who live with a reasonable distance could be walking or riding their bikes. I feel that school districts should charge a reasonable fee for bus service. I don’t think they should be in the busing business.

Jaime Castellanos, Principal, Buena High School in Ventura

I feel that school districts should pay the bus transportation for any students within their district. I would hate to see where it gets to the point where the families would have to pick up the tab. I think it’s just another hardship the families have to undergo. But I think the state needs to put money into it, because to me, that is a priority. If we’re going to have compulsory education laws, which we do, then I feel the state needs to back that up with helping to get the kids to school in the first place. State law requires that students go to school until they are at least 16 and since they are making it obligatory for students to go to school, they should also provide transportation for them to get there. I think it’s sending a mixed message if they want kids to go to school and now they’re thinking of putting the burden of funding transportation on the shoulders of parents. I just don’t think that’s fair.