Lane, Clayton
Sun, 22 Aug 2004 08:13:07 -0700
Title of this article should be: Students Pay $1/day to Park, Miss College Human Rights Violated -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of John Boyle Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 4:47 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [BIKE] $180 for kids to park? Maybe student parking fees should go to sidewalks, bike racks and bike lanes? JB http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=12751255&BRD=1671&PAG=461&dept _id=17782&rfi=6 $180 for kids to park? The Daily Local ADAM CIRUCCI , Staff Writer 08/22/2004 CALN -- Coatesville Area Senior High students claim that the rising cost of parking on campus will prevent many of them from participating in after-school activities and sports. At Tuesday's school board meeting, students blasted board members for raising the price of student parking from $50 to $180. "Where is all that money going?" Anne Farrelly, a junior, asked. "Our parking fees are going up just like the taxes our families pay are going up." Laurie Harvey, 17, of Caln said that she has seen the cost of student parking rise from $5 to $180 over the past three years. "I grew up always thinking that the school district would do whatever it could to better the education and future of its students," said Harvey, a senior. "It doesn't seem to me that that is what is happening." "It is completely unfair," senior class President Jimmy Bucky said. "Two years ago, our older siblings and friends paid $5. Now here we are paying $180." Bucky, 17, said that last year students were angered when the price of parking increased from $5 to $50. He said asking students to shell out more than three times that amount was totally unreasonable. "That is a lot of money for a high school student to pay," Bucky said. "There are already a lot of additional expenses involved in joining a club or activity." Junior class President Kyle Maye saidhe was already struggling to pay insurance bills and inspection fees. "I don't see where I'm going to get that $180 from," Maye said. "I work after school several days a week, and I've already been missing out on activities." Harvey, a member of the honor society, student cabinet and dance team, said the cost of parking might force her to abandon those activities. Her father, Thomas, works in West Chester and is unable to pick her up after school, but she said it was a matter of principle. "We fought when they raised the price to $50," Harvey said. "But $180 is way too much. I don't know if we are willing to pay that. It's ridiculous." Bucky said the district was using student parking as a source of revenue. "They're just trying to make another buck," he said. Board member Byron Shearer said the district's current economic woes were, in part, to blame for the increased cost of parking. "And part of it was recognizing that there was maintenance service for parking," Shearer said. "It amounts to about $1 a day." Cynthia Quinn, chairwoman of the board's finance committee, said the students' anger was "understandable," but that the board "needed to improve the budget somehow." She said that during the budget process parents were vehemently opposed to pay-for-play, and pay-for-services programs, so now they are faced with paying for parking. Quinn also noted that driving to school was a personal choice. "The district already provides transportation. It is already paid for," Quinn said. "If students don't want to take the bus, that is their decision. But $1 a day for parking is not that exorbitant." "For providing a parking lot and security, we (the board) didn't think that it was really outrageous," Shearer added. But Rita Mounayar, a junior, said the parking situation on campus has not changed since last year. "It is the same parking lot," she said. "Already we have to pay for gas. If you have a car, chances are you paying for it and for auto insurance." Mounayar, of Coatesville, said that she was asking local businesses and churches to lend parking space to students, but has not had much luck. "It's disappointing," she said of the $180 parking fee. "It's unjust to all the students." Harvey, who is in the middle of the college selection process, said her access to transportation could affect her future. "If I don't have a car at school, I can't participate in those activities," she said. "Then when colleges get my transcript, they'll see that I was involved only up until senior year." Harvey is hoping to study English and education, and minor in dance, which she said would be difficult if she was not on the dance team senior year. Brenda Haws, the district's chief financial and operations officer, did not return repeated attempts to contact her. http://www.bikemap.com Visit the Philadelphia Bike News Blog _________________________________________________________________ Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN Search! http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/ ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "bike." To subscribe or unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. See also http://bcgp.blogspot.com/ and http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/ ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "bike." To subscribe or unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. See also http://bcgp.blogspot.com/ and http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/