Sunday, February 11, 2007
Editorial: A few blocks isn't too far to walk to school
Radford throws some kids off the school bus.
From the RoundTable blog
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Kids today have it so easy. Remember when you used to walk through blizzards to school, uphill both ways? These days, the bus stops at the end of the driveway even if it's only a couple of blocks from school.
That could change in Radford, which is welcome news for anyone who cares about the efficient use of public resources and children's health.
The Radford School Board last week voted to stop providing bus service to students who live within four blocks of school. The only exception will be the youngest students at McHarg Elementary.
Buses are crowded and the schools only have so much money. Forcing kids to walk or bike will ease some of that stress.
It also will make the bus system run more efficiently. With fewer stops, kids will get to and from school more quickly.
Nor should anyone ignore the health benefits. With childhood obesity on the rise, getting kids accustomed to walking and biking could build lifelong habits that will serve them well.
Although the district has set a four-block radius, parents who live further away should think about getting their kids off the bus, too.
None of this will happen, however, until the city installs more sidewalks. It would be no good to stick kids on the street. Hopefully the new bus policy will encourage rapid action. In the meantime, there's nothing wrong with phased implementation for kids who do have safe routes to school.
Once the sidewalks are in place, schools should also take steps to make sure coddling parents do not undermine the whole program by driving kids the couple of blocks. Traffic jams in front of schools would create new, unwanted headaches and safety concerns.
Superintendent Chuck Bishop might have put it best. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to stop a bus 100 yards from a school building and pick a child up."
No, Superintendent Bishop, it does not.
