She is a mom on a mission.
Anetka Sosa told me – she’s had it.
The Lockport mom says her five-year-old is expected to walk to school with no sidewalks or shoulders on the roadways. There’s also a busy road to cross, and it’s about a mile total – each way. She posted about the issue on social media and has an awful lot of support from moms and dads all around Western New York and beyond.
“Our district will not bus within a mile, no exceptions they told me. We are just a couple houses short of our little ones qualifying to take a bus. We are so close that the bus stands directly in front of our home for 15 minutes before it starts their route. Children in our development get picked up just not within that mile. Why my child can’t walk a few doors down with me and be picked up is beyond me.”
Anetka has complained, but it hasn’t helped, “Mind you, I have a 2 year old and a 3 month old that would have to make this trip with me. I want to cry I’m so frustrated.”
Many districts have policies that state children who live within a certain proximity of the school are not bused.
This mom says she speaks for any and all kids who have to walk.
“I know when we were little we walked longer distances, I know that others may have it worse but this should not be happening, I don’t know what logic was used to make this law stick but I’m asking you to help me change it. I will not go quietly.”
Anetka doesn’t want her child missing school when it’s bad out. She doesn’t want any child to be hit by a car. Anetka told me people ask her why she didn’t check into the busing issue before buying her home, “I didn’t think we had to look into something like this when we purchased our home we didn’t find out until we moved in and tried to set up busing. It was common sense that no 5 year old would be expected to find his own way to school. There’s no compassion or concern at all. I’m baffled.”
“I tried to reason with them and was told that the law was on their side. This law needs to change! Not everyone has 2 vehicles, not everyone needs two vehicles. My husband and I work opposite shifts for the sole purpose that one of us is always home with our children. Why do they have to make this so difficult? What do our school taxes pay for?”
And really, it all comes down to one thing – the bottom line. But, what’s especially frustrating is the fact that Anetka – and other parents of walkers – still pay the same amount of school taxes as anyone else, “Do I pay less because my child is a “walker”, I don’t think so. Instead to save a few bucks and put it in someone else’s pocket we’re left with no options, just left to figure it out. In other words they are saying “your child does not matter”. Well that’s not good enough for me, I will fight whoever I have to.”
This s a situation that really should be addressed,
“Just to be clear the purpose of this post is to make the point that EACH and EVERY child deserves the promise of a safe way to school. No one should be excluded. You never know someone’s situation, whether it’s a single parent trying to manage everything themselves and make it to work, not everyone has help, not everyone has options. Sometimes the only safe place a child has is school, what if they can’t make it there? This law is letting those children down. No exceptions, no hardships matter, you don’t matter. Your child’s absence does not matter, only your tax dollar does. Each child should be provided with a way to school not just mine. They don’t have voices big enough, we have to speak for them, fight for them.”
I have an email out to the Lockport School District – and will hopefully hear back from them after the break. I will keep you posted.
I understand Anetka’s frustration. When I was a single mom living on Grand Island – we lived less than a mile from the school and my girls had to walk. I hated it. In the rain, the snow, the cold. I often said the same thing – I pay the same school taxes – a dozen buses drive by our street – this is unacceptable.
And Anetka is right – you never know what someone’s situation is. Every child deserves to be bused to school!
If you would like to contact any Lockport school officials on behalf of Anetka and other parents, here is some info:
Superintendent of Schools
Michelle T. Bradley
130 Beattie Avenue
(716) 478-4838
mbradley@lockportschools.net
School Board Members:
Dr. John Craig –Â john.craig@lockportschools.net
Thomas Fiegl –Â thomas.fiegl@lockportschools.net
Heather Hare –Â heather.hare@lockportschools.net
John Linderman –john.linderman@lockportschools.net
Victoria Obot –Â victoria.obot@lockportschools.net
Kevin Pratt –Â kevin.pratt@lockportschools.net
Edward Sandell –Â edward.sandell@lockportschools.net
Marietta Schrader –Â marietta.schrader@gmail.com
Karen Young –Â karen.young@lockportschools.net
Here is a link to the petition started
Please help spread the word!
Someone should point out to them as well that kids of all ages are subject to frostbite and hypothermia when our temps drop below zero or the wind chill is below zero and these children are still expected to be in class otherwise they could be held back for to many missed days of class. And in buffalo kids have to take the metro in high school which can be just as dangerous due to late busses. Plus most people in the city don’t shovel so all these kids are forced to walk on icy roads same with walkers everywhere and are subject to being hit by cars. Not only does that effect the family of that child the child but also the person who was just trying to get to/from work, the store etc. Or what about parents that have to rent their homes and don’t have financial options for moving to a “bussing” area. We are told that we don’t pay the school taxes so again our kids don’t matter nor do the younger ones of all families that may have to make that trip both ways subjecting them to twice the dangers along with the parents. Even in warmer weather there are dangers.
I TOTALLY agree! No 5 yr old should have to walk to school. Especially if there is no safe passage for him to get there. I hope this mom can team up with other parents to carpool kids on bad days. Maybe this mom can walk a few kids to school on nice days off she doesn’t have use of a car. Makes it very difficult for everyone.
where oh where has common sense thinking gone?? this mom is totally right to be angry and upset and we should all hold the powers that be accountable to just THINK and make things right for all children
speak up all……we count !!!
This is just so wrong! You know that there are busses driving right by these kids and they could be picked up! In Sweet Home district Kdg. Students are picked up at their house and after that there may be a designated spot where they are picked up. We lived less than a mile from our elementary school and my kids were always bussed! Something needs to be done! So sorry they have to go through this!
Wow! This is despicable! There should be a bus for ALL students, especially a 5 year old.
The least the school system could do is to offer bus pick up in the winter..
I’m a retired 33 year school bus driver of the Ransomville Bus Lines, I started out driving for the Lew-Port school district, that district does NOT allow any child to walk to school, even those who live right across the road. However they do walk in the Wilson School District and these children walk across some busy intersection, WHICH to me it totally WRONG. People pay school TAXES and there should be enough MONEY to allow TRANSPORTATION for every child no matter where they live. This will eliminate abductions and fatalities they we hear about on a daily basis.
I was a single parent and made sure my kids got to school
I pay ridiculous school taxes and have ZERO kids in schools if that is the case I shouldn’t pay any!!!
If they start moving down that mile that is designated where does it stop????
I agree totally but this isn’t just a Lockport problem. Please take note this happens everywhere in NYS. My 8 year old is in Buffalo Schools I have the same problem. Completely terrible. She is a walker ??? No she isn’t because, what if I had no car? This law is ridiculous. I think children under 10 need transportation no matter how close (Within reason). ‘Make a bus for kids 10 and under that live within 2 miles. Problem solved.