Members from Lakewood’s senior community, UNITE, non-public schools, and Assemblyman David Rible, Committeeman Lichtenstein, and the state monitor David Shafter met today at Senator Singer’s office to discuss legislation that could potentially save courtesy busing for thousands of students.
As earlier reported, busing has officially been cut for thousands of students in Lakewood.
The group today discussed bill S2049, a bill introduced by Senator Roberts (Bob) Singer, that could potentially save courtesy busing for 7,000 children.
Also among the attendees, was Agudah New Jersey’s Director Rabbi Avi Schnall.
“It is always positive to sit with community leaders and discuss the issues at hand,” Rabbi Schnall told TLS. “There were several concerns regarding the bill and its implementation that were discussed and clarified.”
He added, “The bill is a work in progress and will need the support of the entire community.”
“We are very grateful to Senator Singer and assemblymen Rible and Kean for spearheading this crucial effort. All agree that the safety and wellbeing of all children in Lakewood is our highest priority.”
[TLS]
KPICASA_GALLERY(6285706167440041953#)
Sorry for not dancing dr joy and gratitude over senator singer’s great accomplishments but why is he not leading the fight to correct the whole school funding issue from top to bottom this is only a bandaid solution and does nothing to solve the greater issue
There was a shortage of buses/drivers and HUNDREDS of mandated eligible students were NEVER given a bus this entire year forcing parents to drive daily. (Many families had multiple children who were mandated eligible for bus with different start and end times with no bus..imagine the headache..)
If there would be a shortage of buses this coming year, would every mandated eligible student be guaranteed a seat on the bus before courtesy eligible students get added on?
I would like to know when I can be
Reimbursed for this year. I had no bussing for my 3 girls. I was told I was going to get a check. I filled out the forms twice. Maybe the senator can help me out!! Thanks. I appreciate all of everyone’s hard work on this mayter
To busmommy: Call and ask for Carol at the transportation dep’t.
Once again, Rabbi Schnall is looking out for the tzibbur. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful oved hashem and a shliach tzibbur mamish.
Ashrecha
Note how at the beginning the article speaks of the 7,000 students and then at the end it speaks of “ALL STUDENTS”……there are 9,000 students no getting COURTESY BUSING……not just 7,000
There is no money, build sidewalks and teach the children to walk to school.
I read the bill in its entirety. It does mention that only after the school buses the mandated children can the money be used to bus non-mandated to whomever asked, above.
However, there are 3 very large issues with this bill:
1) Is there a promise that all the mandated children will be bussed at all? I wouldn’t put it passed the BOE (and yes, the schools) to take everyone’s money and then say, sorry, we only were able to get routes for 80% of the students, leaving the remaining 20% (or even if it would be 1%!) without aid in lieu or a route.
2) According to the state dept of ed (who I personally spoke to) aid in lieu is required to be paid to parents only. This means that the school should not be receiving it at all. So is this bill even legal? I feel like the only ones who will be losing out here are those of us who should be getting mandated busing. Many never got routes this year at all (behind courtesy routes).
3) Most importantly, the law states that ‘if the school has extra funds, they are not required to return it to the BOE or wherever it comes from’. The fact is, the funds belong to the PARENTS. The schools should not be allowed to take our funds and then use whats left to give themselves a raise, or pay for some project in the school without our agreement. The extra funds should be divided among the parents who would have been receiving them.
Point is, this law seems very fishy to me. Stop trying to solve the problem of courtesy busing and get over it. Arrange car pools for your kids, let them walk to school with an older neighbor or sibling if its a 10 minute walk. If you can get the state to fix the formula without stealing from the rest of us, then Kol Hakavod.