Bus Fees Issue: Parents Should Not Pay
The issue concerning the bus fees has emerged quite recently. The majority of parents oppose the introduction of such fees. However, not many parents express their point of view. To my mind, parents pay enough money to school so there is no need to introduce an additional fee for bus schools. Moreover, these fees will negatively influence pupils’ academic performance and their safety, and they can also worsen the environmental situation.
The bus fees have been introduced quite recently. In Leicester, parents started paying bus fees in 2007 (Arsenault). The fee is $150, which is quite much especially if a family has several school children. First of all, it is important to remember that parents pay school fees, so it is still unclear why they should pay for school buses separately. Some schools do not fund this service, which is funded by city governments.
Nowadays all organizations try to overcome financial difficulties, so city governments try to cut budgets and make a parent pay for the service. However, it is necessary to take into account that many families do not have the opportunity to pay additional fees. Many pupils will have to look for another way to get to their school. This can lead to poorer academic performance and even various accidents.
Thus, many pupils will have to walk or use any opportunity to get to their schools. They will spend more time solving the problem of getting to the school rather than concentrating on their classes. Moreover, pupils may have to miss the classes because they simply have failed to find a way to come on time. The issues of children’s safety also emerge. If pupils live in dangerous districts, they can get into trouble while walking to their school. No parent would take the risk to let his/her child go to school if it can be dangerous for the child’s life. Eventually, attendance can drop.
Apart from these issues, the introduced school bus fees can cause environmental problems. The number of emissions will increase since parents will have to drive their cars to take their children to school. Thus, the introduction of eco-friendly technologies (hybrid buses) in school bus services will not work. It will become a waste of money for the city budget.
The bus fees introduction will cause many serious problems. On the other hand, the difficult financial situation in the country and the whole world requires certain actions. However, I think the sphere of education should not become a tool of city expenses reduction since education is the basis of the nation’s wellbeing. The city governments should look for other spheres to cut their budgets. It is also possible to raise funds for school bus service.
For example, the charity can be a good source of funding for this service. It is possible to consider whether school fees can be reduced. Do parents need to pay for everything included in the school fees? Thus, parents should express their position against the introduction of school bus fees. According to vice-chair of the School Committee, Jim Gonyea, there were only five complaints about the fees in three years (Arsenault). Of course, this is not the way to express parents’ concerns. It is essential to raise the question about the fees on the level of city government. Thus, parents can influence the situation, they only should be organized.
Works Cited
Arsenault, Charlene. “Paying to Ride the School Bus – Do You Care about the Fee? Oh, and Your Town’s Politics?” TheDailyLeicester.com. 2010. Web.