Safer Bus Stops

To the Editor:

Like any parent would be, I am very proud of my two daughters writing letters to the editor expressing their concern for safer bus stops and fairness under the rule of law. They are expressing what they are experiencing at the hands of the Newtown school administration.

One child had a bus stop at her driveway for both pickup and drop off (kindergartener) and the other had her bus pass our house, but the bus driver was instructed by the administration not to stop to pick up children, even though Newtown has a campaign that suggests ways to lessen smog pollution by lessening cars at bus stops. A neighborhood stop at our end would stop many emissions every school day.

School bus drivers cannot go against instruction given to them by the administration, namely, the superintendent, or her designee, as stated in the policies found on their website (http://www.newtown.k12.ct.us/page.php?pid=256). If they go against it, they can be fired. We fought to keep our local bus drivers, who are fantastic, by the way. They are also taxpayers of Newtown. Their taxes get recycled right back into the funds that support their pay.

I urge people to read the policies of the school district. A “no cul de sac” policy does not exist. I feel like I am being cornered into using a double negative! I have been informed that it does exist by the superintendent and the transportation department, yet, no one has been able to show it to me and I have searched the policies for it for over a year now.

If anyone else has received this incorrect information, please e-mail me with “cul de sac” in the subject line at spinach135@gmail.com. I will be collecting data that may help create safer bus stops for all of the children in Newtown. We supervise them at school but then leave this very precious cargo to fend for themselves all over town and post the times and locations in the newspaper so the ten registered sex offenders in town will know where our children are and when.

Susan McGuinness Getzinger

31 Little Brook Lane, Newtown                                                                      October 27, 2010