Have you heard of the Massachusetts law on public school transportation?  If you haven’t, now is certainly the time to be informed. Public schools in Massachusetts require schools to provide and fund transportation services to students. But this claim is limited. It is true that students will be provided transportation, however, students who live two or more miles from the school are the only ones guaranteed a bus. This is under the General Law, Section 68: “Duties of towns to maintain schools; transportation of children; school building committee representation.”

Now tell me, is this morally wrong or right? Students are forced to walk if they aren’t two miles or more from the school. What if they are injured? Or if their parents or guardian don’t have or own a car? If there is ice on the sidewalk and the student falls? These are very real situations that have to be addressed about this problematic law for public schools in Massachusetts.

Even for elementary schools this outrageous law is being encouraged! An elementary student can ride a bus if they are less than two miles from the schools only if their parent or guardian makes an appeal. However, close to Worcester, Auburn has similar school policies differing in this claim. If a student in elementary school wants a bus and they are two miles or less from the school, they have to PAY to have transportation. For high school, no matter the mileage from their house to the school, they have to pay for transportation. The only exception for this rule is if the student is on free or reduced lunch. They have students paying a fee starting hundred twenty-five dollars. That is flat out disgusting.

Talking to faculty at Doherty, an informative response was gathered about this law, the meaning behind it, and a well-spoken opinion. Mrs. Nodurft, an administrative secretary at Doherty, shared that there has to be a limit somewhere on busing. She also shared that “I assume the limit is because of budget reasons. I don’t like it because I have to be the bearer of bad news.” Doing scheduling for students she has to crush their spirits by telling them every morning, rain or shine, they have to walk instead of being provided a warm and comfortable bus. Mrs. Nodurft later shares that she herself went to Doherty. She lived 1.5 miles from the school and still couldn’t ride a bus. She played sports and had to walk home. So clearly, this rule isn’t new. It’s affecting multiple generations of new and past students as well as student athletes. But where does it end? Where will the buses be provided for students who need them? That’s a question for the law makers.

So why does this matter? Well, students matter. And that is why I gathered students opinions on transportation in public schools.

Genevieve Besso, a junior at Doherty shared her thoughts. She says, “it’s a little dumb. Having to walk home is exhausting because of my asthma. The traffic is obnoxious.” Many students like her are facing similar situations. Asthma is just one part of the challenge on top of not being given a ride from and to their home. An anonymous senior adds, “I would not walk because I live very far. There should be transportation for [people who live two miles and more from the school and] people who are not accessible to get rides. It’s not their fault if they wake up late and have no ride and [as a result] have to walk now.” Another similar response by Anthony Lubo, a junior, was shared. He says “It [the policy] is stupid. Why would I want to walk miles at five o clock in the morning. They blame us if we are late but we have no transportation.” This is a valid point. In both student’s point of view you see how tardiness is a result of having no busing. And any student, especially in the Worcester Public Schools system, knows how much students are reminded that their attendance matters. But busing matters just as much as attendance.

Going into the part of whether it is fair to have elementary schoolers walk, an anonymous senior shares their opinion. They say, “High school is reasonable to walk but elementary school and middle schoolers should not have to walk.” He also speaks about how walking alone is dangerous and middle schoolers and elementary schoolers might not pay close enough attention to their surroundings. With everything going on in the world, walking alone, especially from a young age, is risky. Younger kids might not be aware of what’s around them and then bang, they’re missing. Another student voices that not everybody is going to walk because their parents are protective. He points out that parents will go out of their way for their kid. And while this is nice of them to do, this situation shouldn’t result in sacrifices.

Tali Grunwald communicated her belief on the busing situation as well. She says, “if families have a lot of kids, it is hard to get transportation so their kids don’t have to walk. My mom has to get me, my twin, and my three year old brother to school all before eight a.m. before heading to Cambridge. My dad has to get my sister and brother to school by eight thirty before heading to his job. It [no buses] spreads parents too thin especially making things difficult during my surgery. I wasn’t coming to school all the time, things were spread out. My aunt from Auburn had to drive me to school. Everyone should have [access to bus] transportation.” This just goes to show how no bus transportation access is harming families.

Instead of waking up, getting dressed, and going to work, parents are taking laps around the city and this merry-go-round they’re on is never ending. This creates stress for the children because they have to rely on their parents and their busy schedule to be on track everyday. So, instead of just worrying about mental health, physical health, family, grades, sports, clubs, and jobs, students are worrying about transportation and time in addition to all these factors.

To what is truly a transportation scandal, when will the curved lines re-write and finally be set straight? Busing should be provided to any student in need. Especially one of our own at Doherty.