Halifax school board wants province to pay for more bus rides

A Halifax Regional School Board member wants the province to rethink what it considers a reasonable walking distance to school for students.

"We hear from parents all the time and it's mainly for safety issues for elementary students," said Nancy Jakeman.

The current provincial regulation states that only students who live more than 3.6 kilometres from school need a bus ride, except in certain cases.

More rides needed

Jakeman'smotion to write Education Minister Karen Casey and request a reduction in the mandatory distance of 3.6 kilometres was approved at the last school board meeting. Accordingly, the motion also asked Casey to "provide appropriate funding."

The council memberwants the province toadopt a recommendation made 10 years ago in the so-called Sabean report, which suggestedthe province coverbus rides for elementary school students wholivemore than 1.6 kilometres away.

The same report saidthreekilometres should be the standard distance for older kids.

Walking in the rain

That won't make enough of a difference for Melissa Sasseville King, who walks herchildren 1.5 kilometres to and fromTallahassee Community School in Eastern Passage every day.

There are no sidewalks for much of the walk and when it rains, everyone's miserable.

"I'm soaked, my kids are soaked," she said.

"Other parents drive their children, so it's not as much of a concern for them as it is for me because I don't have a vehicle."

HRSB policy

Though the province regulateswalking distances, school boards cansettheir own rules providing they have the funding to do so.

The Halifax school board has a slightly more generous policy than other Nova Scotia school boardswhen it comes to busing children in primary to Grade 6.

The board will fund bus rides for elementary kids who live more than 2.4 kilometres away from their school.

Courtesy busing

Casey said last week she believes there are "very few" elementary school students walking 2.4 kilometres to school.

When asked if that's a sufficient distance for elementary school students to be walking, Casey said "that's a maximum."

The minister added some school boards have courtesy busing. That's when a bus driver will pick up students who live 2.4 kilometres away from school if there is room.

"Many times those kids are given courtesy busing and those things are done within each board."

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