Be thankful
You have got to be kidding. SSI recipients complaining that the taxpayer is not providing cheaper and more housing. It’s no wonder the taxpayer and the governments are broke. Baby-sit for your neighbor. Keep your neighborhood clean. Sacrifice. Get a job. Get other SSI roommates. Stop complaining and be helpful and be thankful.
What do I do?
I live within one mile of my son’s school which means he is not eligible for school transportation. I did not think this would be an issue considering I work at 6 a.m. and my son would board the bus at daycare, however because of my home address, my son is not eligible to ride the bus from daycare, but if I lived outside the one-mile radius it wouldn’t be an issue! So tell me, ISD 181, what do I do with my child while I work? Quit my job? Move?
Editor’s note: Willy Severson, director of schools, said that anyone living within the one-mile, no-bus zone is ineligible for any form of district transportation. However, he said, in an effort to accommodate parents, when the district went to this policy four years ago (due to the failed referendum) a morning drop-off care program was set up at Washington Educational Services Building. Operating through the Fun ‘n Friends program, parents may drop off children as early as 6:15 a.m. School staff would care for the children and then transport them to school close to the start time, he said. Severson said there’s a small fee for this program, but it has been well received. A similar program is offered after school where children are bussed to Washington and cared for until 6 p.m. Parents wanting to access this program may simply call Fun ‘n Friends at 454-6950 for more information.
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Comments (60)
Add commentCorrect me if I'm wrong but
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't 6:15 am later than 6:00 am?
It seems to me there should be some exceptions to the 1 mile rule. It's not that hard to make amendments and they've got a week. Get it done!
In regaurds to (WHAT DO I DO?)
First of all let me say to What do I do, I could not agree with you more. The school district virtually leaves a parent with no option other then to A. - Leave their child home alone and pray to god they get up dress their selves feed them selves and get them selves dressed in the appropriate attire for a walk to school that could be up to 1 mile. Granted to some a mile may not seem to far. Although to a 5,6,or7 year old who forgets their hat mittens or scarves boots or god forbid their coat and it is -20, or colder with the windshield out that mile has now turned into about 10. (Oh that's right I forgot our 5,6 and 7 year old's are suppose to have the intelligence and maturity of 15,16 and 17 year old's these days right?) That being said let me jump to the Editors note and Willy Seversons statement. "said that anyone living within the one-mile, no-bus zone is ineligible for any form of district transportation. However, he said, in an effort to accommodate parents, when the district went to this policy four years ago (due to the failed referendum) a morning drop-off care program was set up at Washington Educational Services Building. Operating through the Fun ‘n Friends program, parents may drop off children as early as 6:15 a.m. "
Well this is not exactly true, until last year my children were allowed to ride the bus to daycare after school and also be picked up from day care before school this new policy about not being picked up from day care started just last year. This tells me Fun and "Friends" = Ind School Dist. 181 needs to earn some Money and what a better way then to give parents no other option. I did call Fun and "Friends" today and found that their morning rate from 6:15am until I figure the bus must pick them up by 7:30 so about 1 hour and 15 minutes is 15.00 for the week ok not bad but this lady is saying she has to be to work by 6 meaning she probably has to drop off her kids by 5:30 am...I will continue my post.
Bussing
Wasn't that long ago there was no bussing for anybody in town and we all seemed to make it to school
In regaurds to (WHAT DO I DO?) continued
sorry I didn't want the post to get to long and not be able to post it. okay..anyway... So Fun and "Friends" absolutely does her no good. Point #2 This School district being in the land of million dollar cabins and gull lake homes has forgotten about the people that do not earn over $50,000 a year which by today's standards isn't squat. Many family's do not have a car or they only have one car, so they may not be able to drive their young children to school and like I said before they think they are being reasonable asking parents to send these little kids and i mean the little ones walking a mile to school alone. News Flash Willy Severson "Stranger Danger" Does not work. Look at Jaycee Lee Dugard and she was 11 and that was in 1991 this is now 2011 the crime is way way higher and children disappear everyday. Think it can't happen in good old Brainerd? Think again. and speaking of the failed referendum wasn't taking the sports away enough? You want to add endangering our most precious assets to the list. If this is not a form of bullying I really do not know what is. And my third and final point is if you had not built a multi million dollar middle school that we really did not need in the middle of Baxter maybe the referendum would not have been so gosh darn important. Did you ever stop once to consider the kids in Brainerd who's parents may work afternoon shifts and may not be able to pick them up after, after school activities no of course you didn't once again you assumed that only the special wealthy kids deserve to enjoy these types of things I say if you built that school out there that limits after school activities to only a certain majority you should provide the transportation and then you have the audacity to suggest summer school to help children catch up come on already you have so annihilated the lower and middle class in this community it isn't even funny, This district stinks and I hope more people turn to homeschooling or doing the k-12 online program which is free of charge and have online teachers. Oh and one more thing I forgot to mention if you want to drop your kids off at fun and friends after school it is 8:50 per day. It's time this town, school district , and city council get their high and mighty noses out of the air and get a taste of reality the wealthy are not the only ones that are important. Poor kids matter too.
Bottom line this school
Bottom line this school distict has put this woman between a rock and a hard place. She can't be 20 minutes late to work everyday, if they want her to use fun n friends than they need to extend the hours or make an exception to the rule! What can we do to help? Any ideas? There has to be more parents that work 6am shifts, its a common work shift. We do we contact to have transportation change this?
RE:BUSSING
That had to be quite a long time ago I am 45 and there has always been bussing since I have been here. And I don't think they snatched kids back in the horse and buggy days. or it was rather rare.
southnet
What don't you understand this is not 60 years ago or 50 years ago who cares what you did way back then this is the year 2011 crime is high kids are stolen every flip pen day you need a reality check maybe you don't have kids or yours are grown but parents these days have a very real reason to be concerned about their children walking alone to school. Pick up a paper some time or just walk into Walmart you need to get your head out of your - - - -
RE:NICOLE
Like I said before this past school year was the first time they did not allow busing to and from daycare in the past 2 years before that my kids were given 2 bus passes one for day care and one for home. So why the big problem now? It has nothing to do with the referendum otherwise it would have been that way 4 years ago not just last year.
Alternatives
I wonder if this parent is solely venting to the BD or if she indeed did contact 181 and see if there were other avenues to look at. I am assuming that she is a single parent due to the fact she didn't make mention of a father-figure in the submission. I do wonder tho if she trusts a neighbor that has kids to help out at all? Or, possibly approach her employer about taking her lunch and/or breaks early and arrive at 6:30 or so? Or even switching from her daycare provider to have personal daycare at her home for the early morning hours. Many of the ideas might not be feasible, but maybe one is...
As bad as a previous poster attempted to make Fun and Friends sound, it is a great resource that families can utilize and help them work around obstacles- and for $15 a week, "not bad" is a vast understatement.
Re: Southnet
I expected nothing less from you then to go totally off subject. This has nothing to do with kids running around Walmart, or periods after my sentences. In fact it is not about her being inconvenienced you are simply dense and ignorant and I will not argue with anyone who is a few fries short of a happy meal.
The father is in Kuwait and
The father is in Kuwait and she did contact isd transportation, the response was "its your responsibility as a parent to make transportation arrangements " and try fun n friends
And why does this mom need to
And why does this mom need to rely on someone other than daycare to care for her child? If she lived outside the mile, her son could ride the bus from daycare? What sense does that make?
Fun n friends is great, my
Fun n friends is great, my child goes there but what do you do if your hour conflict with there's?
What not to do !
Considering some of the people living in Brainerd, there is no way in hell I would let my kindergartner walk a mile to school. Too many creeps around. This is not 50 years ago when it was safe to let your kid walk to school. I do not have an answer for you, other than make some type of arrangements with your employer or find a different job with different hours. But regardless, no way would I ever let my kids walk that far to school, no way. For those of you that do not see it as a problem, you need to educate your self as to the real dangers.
Is that really true
"Whats", you are very lucky that you children were allowed to be picked up at one place and dropped off at another. The policy has been in place for four years. I know many parents that were affected by the policy. Many discovered their neighbors had the same problem and were able to help each other. If you can not afford to pay for the sports fees apply for a assistance from the Warrior Way. They helped pay for my child to play tennis. I talked to her and explained I couldn't afford new shoes, an expensive racket, or tennis outfits, but that I would be there to cheer her on. She was very thankful to be able to play. Forrestview is a large school
that is in an inconvenient spot. It was built on land the school already owned and houses over 2000 students. It has to be big. Go there after school sometime (especially in the spring) and you will find hundreds of students enjoying after school activities.
"Barn", many people were affected by the failed referendum. It brought life changes for a lot of people. Children had to change schools, employees had to move to find jobs, neighborhoods were changed. It has brought a lot of distrust and ugliness to our community. Try telling these families the "same funding" is still in place.
There are around 4000 to 5000 students riding the bus. If they make an exception for one they have to make it for all and that would be impossible.
"Barn" please check your quote about idiots. It has the wrong pronouns in it.
Please do not believe everything you read and do not write anything you know not to be true.
my kids were given 2 bus
my kids were given 2 bus passes one for day care and one for home. So why the big problem now?
Ummm....if your kids were given a bus pass for home, then you lived OUTSIDE the 1 mile radius and WERE therefore eligible for transportation.
This woman lives INSIDE the 1 mile radius. She is not eligible for transportation be it to daycare OR home.
Perhaps the baby daddy
Perhaps the "baby daddy" or a friend or relative could provide morning care and transportation? Perhaps the daycare provider could provide transportation? Perhaps the woman could request a later shift from her employer? Perhaps she could take the child to work with her and use a break to run the child to school?
No one forced this woman to take the job she has nor the shift she has. No one forced her to have a child that obviously doesn't fit into her lifestyle. I feel bad for the dilemma, but it looks like she just has some choices to make. Get a new job, a new shift, move, or work it out. Perhaps if busing was important, she could have checked into it before moving into that residence. But the choices are/were hers to make. The schools can't be responsible for her personal choices.
Buses cost money. Door to door transportation is nice, but apparently it is one of the things our school district cannot afford anymore. How many of you same people are mounting the "just say no" campaign that are here shouting that the district should make an exception for this person and numerous others who may be inconvenienced by transporting their own children. Well, who do you think pays for that? Are they just supposed to fiat money into existence to fulfill the whims of everyone who stands with a hand out? Busing was cut because they can't afford it. I'm sure it was a tough choice to make.
Just more of the "don't touch my sacred cows" mentality. Cutting spending is great, until you're the one affected.
Right but why? I don't
blah
Okey dokey ...you don't have
Okey dokey ...you don't have children do you?
So this parent should quit and live off welfare until she finds a new job?
Buses do cost money and we all pay taxes!
And the "baby daddy" is in kuwait serving our country!
Thanks to all of you who
Thanks to all of you who support me in this situation. My sons dad is in Kuwait for at least 9 more months, so I'm a single mother of my 5 yr old. Being to work late is not an option for the facility I work at. I don't know to many jobs that would allow you to be continuously late everyday that you worked just to accommodate with your schedule.
Also there has been busing for transportation for many many years now and times have changed this isn't the 1950's when kids walked miles and miles to school. The crime rate is so high every where you go and if you were a parent I'm sure you wouldn't feel comfortable allowing your child to walk to school and how am I suppose to think straight all day at work, wondering if my child made it to school ok? No its just a joke.. this district did cuts because they cant afford it... like whatsthisworldcomingto said why did they need to build a new school when the other schools were just fine!
Okeydokey: right no one made me choose the am shift that I work, but choosing the hours you work isn't an option wouldn't it be so nice to pick and choose when you wanted to work? come back to reality! I'm very thankful to have a job there are a lot of ppl out there who don't work! Obviously when you take your child to a licensed daycare provider there are more children there than just your child own, the daycare provider isn't going to load up all them children to drive one child to school when 7 other kids at the daycare ride a bus to the SAME school!
kitten
Simple solution then... Bribe the bus driver to give your child a ride to school and pick him up from school yourself.
I'll send you my consulting fee...
there are volunteers
If your husband is serving in Kuwait, there is the military support group
in the area and other volunteer groups. You would have to trust the people
with your child obviously. I wouldn't blame the school or the so-called
failed referdum for this, just unfortunate circumstances.
There is a willing person out there somewhere, maybe a church.
As far as the one mile distance, I would think the one mile would apply
to the day care not your house as that is where the child transfers from.
Hope you can work it out.
I intend on picking my child
I intend on picking my child up from school, I shouldn't have to bribe them to pick up my child.. If it was my choice my child wouldn't even go to school!! but that isn't an option they give the parents truancy for not sending your child to school or if they miss to many days.. why make it so damn difficult for parents? I know that I'm not the only person in this district that is dealing with the transportation company.. how many times to do you see numerous buses traveling the same city roads? A LOT!
Who in there right mind would even think to leave their young child at home for 2 hrs would be ok? I'm sure the child protection office wouldn't think this would be ok...
Yea you would think it would
Yea you would think it would go by the distant from the daycare which is still in the "limits" for that school it self but out of the one mile range.
I do have children...
By the way, I DO have children. And believe it or not, I work 2 jobs.
And I do appreciate the pickle you are in. Children are an inconvenient thing so much of the time. But in the end, I CHOSE to have them. You CHOSE to have yours. Neither of us can make that the school district's problem.
So you have choices to make. You and your husband both made choices that put you in the situation you are in now. The school had nothing to do with those choices. It is not their fault that you work a 6am shift. It is not their fault that you have a child. They did not buy you a house and force you to live there. They did not enroll you in a daycare that cannot help you with transportation. Believe me, I appreciate the sacrifices your husband and your family make for our freedom, but it was his choice to enlist that has left you being a single parent. The school did not send your husband to Kuwait. You may be angry at the situation, but if you are directing it at the school district then your anger is misplaced. Have you checked with the EEOC? They have stipulations about accomodating employees who need to take time off for school functions. Perhaps they can help you buy 9 months of scheduling accomodation until you have another parent in the household. How about another daycare who CAN transport your child, or a private sitter in the morning? A friend, relative or neighbor? How about your church? Can they hook you up with someone who can help? And really, I understand this is a crisis because school is about to start, but honestly, didn't you check on this before? Why wait until the last minute?
I made different choices so I am not in the same situation you are in. I have my own hurdles to overcome. Sometimes they made me angry, but then I realized something that has made all the difference. It's not all about me. Rules are rules and policies are policies. I have to deal with coloring inside of someone else's lines and dealing with it. I might not like it. My life might be easier FOR ME if I didn't have to. But it is what it is. I made my soup. I have to eat it. If I don't like it, I should make a different kind next time.
And as for not needing a new school and claiming that the new school is the reason busing routes were cut, that is ridiculous. The school was paid for with a building bond that was approved by voters. This had nothing to do with busing money. The referendum that was to pay for operating expenses failed. That is why bus routes were cut. You may claim that we now have to bus more students out to Baxter, but on the flip side, we aren't busing all the students from Baxter in to Brainerd so it's a pretty even swap. Also, they built on a piece of land that was already owned to keep the cost down. The building and the bus routes are 2 separate issues. I, for one, am glad that my children will not have to go to school in the old Jr. High buildings. An upgrade in space and environment was definately needed.
So, I can empathize and I can sympathize, but it's still not the school's fault.
Kitten
Well, you DO have a choice not to send your child to school. It's called homeschool.
You can send your child to your daycare all day long. Then when you get home from work, you can homeschool your child. Your transportation problem is solved. And since you aren't keen on sending your child to public school anyway, perhaps you would be happier as well.
No School
You would rather not send your son to school? Maybe you could open up a daycare and home school then. And keep your numbers low so maybe if a parent needs you to transport their child to a public school, that could be a perk you offer.
Your missing the point! Its
Your missing the point! Its people like you okey dokey that make this town a horrible place to live, especially if your not one of the wealthy folks! Congrats on your good decisions and choices In life! But some people make poor choices and I don't think this lady is blaiming isd 181 for anything! Some, I mean most people living within the mile of school are low income households that don't have a choice what hours they work, they are just thankful to have a job so people like YOU don't judge us for being on county assistance!
Low Income
Did you just say that most families that live within a mile of a school are low income households?
Sounds like some1 needz to git re-edjucaded.
Bunch of brainerd bully's!
Bunch of brainerd bully's!