Days before school opened, parents received details on massive changes to the CBE's transportation strategy. Children in the public system are now expected to walk as far as 1.6 to 2.5 km to congregated bus stops, and sometimes more. At the same time, a significant number of middle school students have been shifted to Calgary Transit, and subsidies eliminated. Although parents have been asking for details on the CBE transportation strategy since May, the changes have created a nightmare for families as school begins.
We request that:
• stakeholders in public education put safety first, requiring the CBE to restore walk times to bus stops to previous levels.
• true public consultation on transportation strategies take place immediately.
• an independent financial review of transportation fees take place, including Calgary Transit fees paid by parents.
BACKGROUND
• Parents report that children as young as 6 are expected to walk 1.5 km to reach bus stops.
• Older students (Grade 5 and up) may walk 2.5 km. Families are reporting walks as far as 10 km.
• In winter, this walk would take place in dark and icy conditions. Buses don't always show up on time, and sometimes not at all. Some families report that ride times have also increased.
• Parents are now juggling childcare and transportation issues with next to no notice.
• In the middle of an economic downturn, families are forced to choose between the safety of their children and the security of their employment.
This publicly funded, billion dollar corporation, entrusted with the care of Calgary's children, has ignored their own rules about consultation, reduced safety for children across Calgary, doubled bus fees for a significant number of students, and withheld critical information until the last minute. The threat to the safety of children and the employment of their parents is not a game.
calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/first-school-day-creates-stress-anger-over-new-congregated-bus-stops
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CBE's new transportation strategy, revealed only days before the start of school, is a nightmare for Calgary parents. The threat to the safety of children and the employment of their parents is not a game. We request that:
• stakeholders in public education require the CBE to restore walk times to bus stops to previous levels.
• true public consultation on transportation strategies take place immediately.
• that an independent financial review of transportation fees take place, including Calgary Transit fees paid by parents.
Thank you.
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