INSANITY: Fulton County Busing in the 21st Century (Atlanta: home, elementary school)

[YelloCherry99]

I cannot believe that my tax dollars are being wasted on a busing program still in use in Fulton County, called Minority-to-Majority. The program is not based on anything other than if a school does not have a lot of minorities, the minorities can be bused to that school. It is not even based on the performance of the school the student is districted to. How outdated is that?? RIDICULOUS!

Most important/scary is the risk of the children being in an accident with a such a long trip.

And then there is the price. I did some math. According to the bus route website, for Crabapple Crossing Elementary school, children are picked up at Cox Court, Atlanta, 30337 and bused to Crabapple Crossing Elementary school, a distance of 40 miles one way, so 80 miles a day. Children are in school 180 days, so that is 14,400 miles a year. Schoolbuses get 6 miles per gallon, so that is 2400 gallons in one year. 2400 x Price of one gallon (say, $2.00), is $4800 dollars a year, varying with the price of gas!

And that is just for one route of one school!

No wonder Milton County wants to secede. Tax dollars are being wasted on social policy of 40 years ago.

See for yourself:
http://www.fulton.k12.ga.us/addapage...sport/mtom.asp

[wxjay]

Somehow I don't think that a busing program is a central keystone to tax arguments for Milton County secessionists.

[City Fanatic]

YelloCherry, you're exactly correct.

Good points.

[brettk]

I didn't even know busing was still legal...

[Mattie]

WE are in the school cluster mentioned. I knew several high school aged kids who were being bused up from the Atlanta public schools, and I commended them (and their parents) for making the effort to get a better education than their home school was providing. I also know it comes at a high cost, in that the commute times were long. I had no idea it started in elementary school though. I don't think I could put my young child on a bus for that ride. Why don't these involved parents demand better of their schools?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Mattie

WE are in the school cluster mentioned. I knew several high school aged kids who were being bused up from the Atlanta public schools, and I commended them (and their parents) for making the effort to get a better education than their home school was providing. I also know it comes at a high cost, in that the commute times were long. I had no idea it started in elementary school though. I don't think I could put my young child on a bus for that ride. Why don't these involved parents demand better of their schools?

If students were a part of the Fulton M to M, they could not have been bused from Atlanta Public Schools. Other Fulton County Schools, yes.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by YelloCherry99

I cannot believe that my tax dollars are being wasted on a busing program still in use in Fulton County, called Minority-to-Majority. The program is not based on anything other than if a school does not have a lot of minorities, the minorities can be bused to that school. It is not even based on the performance of the school the student is districted to. How outdated is that?? RIDICULOUS!

Most important/scary is the risk of the children being in an accident with a such a long trip.

And then there is the price. I did some math. According to the bus route website, for Crabapple Crossing Elementary school, children are picked up at Cox Court, Atlanta, 30337 and bused to Crabapple Crossing Elementary school, a distance of 40 miles one way, so 80 miles a day. Children are in school 180 days, so that is 14,400 miles a year. Schoolbuses get 6 miles per gallon, so that is 2400 gallons in one year. 2400 x Price of one gallon (say, $2.00), is $4800 dollars a year, varying with the price of gas!

And that is just for one route of one school!

No wonder Milton County wants to secede. Tax dollars are being wasted on social policy of 40 years ago.

See for yourself:
Fulton County Schools - Where Students Come First

I'm pretty sure that it isn't something that Fulton County enjoys doing or decided to do on its own. Cross-county busing was federally mandated and some programs are still required to receive federal funding. I would bet that this is one of them.

[Mattie]

Originally Posted by aries4118

If students were a part of the Fulton M to M, they could not have been bused from Atlanta Public Schools. Other Fulton County Schools, yes.

Fair enough. I don't really know where their home schools were. I just know that the kids who wanted to play sports at the HS level needed rides to the North Springs Marta station every day after practice. They put in very long days for their education.

[City Fanatic]

Originally Posted by Mattie

WE are in the school cluster mentioned. I knew several high school aged kids who were being bused up from the Atlanta public schools, and I commended them (and their parents) for making the effort to get a better education than their home school was providing. I also know it comes at a high cost, in that the commute times were long. I had no idea it started in elementary school though. I don't think I could put my young child on a bus for that ride. Why don't these involved parents demand better of their schools?

Failing students make failing schools.

Keep commending and destroy your schools in the process.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by City Fanatic

Failing students make failing schools.

Keep commending and destroy your schools in the process.

Welcome back, Scraper Enthusiast.