We--my partner, my kid, and I--have 2 days left to decide whether said kid stays enrolled at her neighborhood elementary school or enrolls in a specialized gifted education program that offers services she very much could use in a different school.
There are pros and cons. But the thing I can't get over is that the other school--the only place in the whole district where these services are offered--is in a no walk/no bike zone. As in kids are literally banned from #walking & #biking there.
If we take the offered services, a whole lot will change for our family. If we don't take them, well, we're not sure what will happen but let's just say there are very good reasons they've been offered.
I realize there are much bigger problems out there in the world, but this one is one of our own creation. We choose to build roads with no walking and bicycling facilities. We choose to not build greenways. We choose to underfund our school districts so they have to put schools on cheap land.
We choose to not pay teachers and support staff and thus have to consolidate programs--not to mention federally-mandated services--rather than providing them in mainstream classrooms.
We choose to make children's needs take a backseat to our selfish desires for convenience and cheap everything.
And the kids know it.
[also just to clarify, not looking here for advice on our decision]
[also clarifying - it's a dangerous freaking road. we wouldn't bike on it even if we could]
@DrTCombs that is so absurd. I know it happens! I just … cannot fathom it.
@DrTCombs How much is the educational advantage worth the loss in freedom of independent and healthy movement?
@DrTCombs that's a tough choice. And it's a horrible choice we as a society have made to force you into this decision.
@DrTCombs
What the heck is a no walk/no bike zone?
@wauz welcome to North Carolina. Where we build schools on high speed roads without sidewalks.
@Andres4NY @wauz It's a school policy that I've heard is enforced rather vigorously. I'm not sure how, but it's also kind of moot given that I'm not going to ride my bike on that road with my kid either way. Two lanes, no shoulders, heavy traffic, high schoolers and impatient parents behind the wheel? nope.
@Andres4NY @wauz Gah, these sorts of tradeoffs are so frustrating!
@DrTCombs
I see. This state needs a regime change. I strongly recommend to turn it into duchy. I also volunteer as first duke.
@DrTCombs
What on Earth?? It should be illegal for a school to do that.
@ianrbuck they don't have much of a choice. They have no control over the infrastructure, and very little ability (if any) to influence transportation policy. It sucks mightily, but I completely understand the policy. I hate it, but understand it.
@DrTCombs
Just as they have no control over the infrastructure outside of the school, they shouldn't have control over how parents transport their kids outside of school.
@DrTCombs What! As you make clear, this is just a ridiculous predicament you (and many others) are being forced into due the own goals of poor transit/planning priorities
@dgodon So ridiculous.
And to be fair, we can make it work. It'd be really hard and no fun, but we could do it. But lots of families can't. Lots of kids won't get the education they deserve because of our selfish, backwards ideas about transportation in this country.
@DrTCombs how horrible - I honestly can't wrap my head around it :/ is there a school bus at least ? Otherwise how can the kids get there ?
@RadtkeJCJ there's a school bus, but, like most school systems, ours doesn't have nearly enough drivers to cover all the routes. which means sometimes the routes take up to 90 minutes. sometimes the bus doesn't come at all.
so the bus is an option, but not a reliable one.
as a result, most kids are driven to school. and the road rage at pickup time at this particular school is somewhat legendary.
@DrTCombs Road rage sounds like the expected outcome of such a system :/ the idea that no child could realistically get themselves to school (once old enough) seems miserable
@RadtkeJCJ @DrTCombs and what it does to the community, parents not interacting with each other, kids unable to bike to each others' houses for play dates, or bike to/from school for extra-curricular activities, just a cascade of policy failures that need to be stacked on the desks of #trafficEngineers and mayors, governors etc. who caused this.
@DrTCombs 😞 what a terrible system. How far is the distance? i.e. is it totally feasible except some bad infrastructure and who (.T.F 😠 ) has the authority to ban kids from biking and walking? (Assuming there's no bus and you would have to drive there, maybe a tandem + maybe electric is an option?) You're not alone having to make this kind of choice though. Does one fight/protest it personally on the street, try to lobby or sue for change, drive there and try to collect allies...
@DrTCombs you can drive there, right? So what’s the problem?????
This is a big freaking deal. We have always biked to school. We paid far more than we could afford for a house that made this possible. We have arranged our work schedules and lifestyles and vehicle ownership choices around the fact that our kid can ride her bike to school. If you follow me on social media, you know that my identity is wrapped up pretty tight in the idea that kids should be able to walk or #BikeToSchool.
#KidsOnBikes #SafeRoutesToSchool