School Bus (Minneapolis: home, high school, live in)

[Purjed]

Originally Posted by golfgal

I'm glad we live in an area where kids can get themselves off the bus on their own and not have to worry about it, but the again, our kids walked to school at that age, 7 blocks each way, never had an issue either. I'd rather teach my kids to be self reliant.

You don't live in that place. You just think you do. You never know who is driving down the street. Jacob Wetterling? I grew up in Minneapolis and the lack of appropriate bus policy here is plain stupid. What is so wrong about holding bus drivers accountable for the children they are paid to transport safely? What is wrong about making sure a child is not left off at the wrong bus stop. What is wrong about making sure young children are safely handed off to a guardian? Why do I have to send a note to say that I want my child to get off at a different stop when drivers are free to drop them wherever and drive off?

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Purjed

You don't live in that place. You just think you do. You never know who is driving down the street. Jacob Wetterling? I grew up in Minneapolis and the lack of appropriate bus policy here is plain stupid. What is so wrong about holding bus drivers accountable for the children they are paid to transport safely? What is wrong about making sure a child is not left off at the wrong bus stop. What is wrong about making sure young children are safely handed off to a guardian? Why do I have to send a note to say that I want my child to get off at a different stop when drivers are free to drop them wherever and drive off?

It sounds like a lot of bother. Kids have been boarding and departing school buses for decades in the Twin Cities metro with very few incidents. Maybe the City of Minneapolis proper has areas where special policies are required ... I don't know. I didn't grow up in an urban environment where we didn't know anyone in our neighborhood.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Purjed

You don't live in that place. You just think you do. You never know who is driving down the street. Jacob Wetterling? I grew up in Minneapolis and the lack of appropriate bus policy here is plain stupid. What is so wrong about holding bus drivers accountable for the children they are paid to transport safely? What is wrong about making sure a child is not left off at the wrong bus stop. What is wrong about making sure young children are safely handed off to a guardian? Why do I have to send a note to say that I want my child to get off at a different stop when drivers are free to drop them wherever and drive off?

How many people do you know PERSONALLY that have been abducted? Jacob Wetterling was not abducted off a school bus and was most likely abducted by someone known to the family according to the experts. Your child is statistically safer alone in the middle of some park somewhere than she is in her own living room. We choose not to live in a paranoid world, thanks. Our kids have made it through 12+ years of schooling with no issues what so ever so we DO live in that world.

What's wrong with raising your own child? If you don't like the policy, drive your child back and fort to school. I can bet there are WAY more parents that trust their kids to get off the bus at the right place and would NOT want to have to be a helicopter parent and meet their child at the bus every day.

[uptown_urbanist]

Stranger abductions are very, very rare. Yes, it could happen. So could plenty of other things. If a parent is truly concerned, there is always the option of picking up the child at school.

[Purjed]

Originally Posted by golfgal

How many people do you know PERSONALLY that have been abducted? Jacob Wetterling was not abducted off a school bus and was most likely abducted by someone known to the family according to the experts. Your child is statistically safer alone in the middle of some park somewhere than she is in her own living room. We choose not to live in a paranoid world, thanks. Our kids have made it through 12+ years of schooling with no issues what so ever so we DO live in that world.

What's wrong with raising your own child? If you don't like the policy, drive your child back and fort to school. I can bet there are WAY more parents that trust their kids to get off the bus at the right place and would NOT want to have to be a helicopter parent and meet their child at the bus every day.

Do you realize your response completely contradicts your advice to have a child depend on a neighbor? That proves the point of exactly why the bus policy should be changed. I don't live in a paranoid world, I live in a world where my children's safety and education comes before anything else.

Police investigate attempted abduction in Minnetonka | kare11.com
Second Minneapolis girl left at wrong school bus stop | kare11.com
Wayzata School District Warned of Alleged Attempted Abduction - Lake Minnetonka, MN Patch

[Purjed]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

Stranger abductions are very, very rare. Yes, it could happen. So could plenty of other things. If a parent is truly concerned, there is always the option of picking up the child at school.

There is also the option of a better school bus policy.

[QuietBlue]

Originally Posted by Purjed

There is also the option of a better school bus policy.

Nobody is stopping you from meeting your child at the bus stop, are they? Or meeting them at school?

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by QuietBlue

Nobody is stopping you from meeting your child at the bus stop, are they? Or meeting them at school?

Well, this is what I was thinking. I'd suggest that the OP meet their child at the bus stop. We have a number of parents in our area who choose to do that. Not all, but some. That and teaching your kid to stay on the bus until their stop seem like the most reasonable solutions. Of course, the OP is free to lobby for changes in the district bus policies, but this would be easier, faster, and more effective.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Purjed

Do you realize your response completely contradicts your advice to have a child depend on a neighbor? That proves the point of exactly why the bus policy should be changed. I don't live in a paranoid world, I live in a world where my children's safety and education comes before anything else.

I think golfgal was recommending what she saw as a reasonable solution for you, not acknowledging that your concerns were legitimate or that she shared them. I would think you would be thankful for her helpful advice, rather than lashing out at her in this rather unpleasant manner.

[Kebinminn]

Another way to eliminate any worries is to do the after school program if you can't drive to the school and get there at pick-up time. Then you have to sign your child out.

I can understand the fears about winter and car accidents but a kindergartner can use a key or enter the house using a garage code if that's attached and have a list of numbers they can call if they find themselves alone after school. Now if you're talking about a special needs child then I can certainly see the need for a more structured drop off.

The Jacob Wetterling thing, he was older so even had it been after school and the district had a policy for young kids he would have been too old for it anyway.