The district's communication officer replied to my Email, stating that it will take a little time (hopefully no more than 10 working days) to get together the information I requested (changes in enrollment from Oct. 2002 to Oct. 2003 broken down by the distance from home to school: less than 1 mile, 1 to 2 miles, 2 to 3 miles, and more than 3 miles).
The district's communication officer did not say that I was wrong about bus service being cut for students living less than 3 miles from school. Where did I get the idea that bus service was cut for students living less than 3 miles from there assigned schools? While distributing campaign literature one morning in the fall of 2002, I encountered a parent who was loading up an SUV with elementary schools students (hers and maybe another child or two who lived nearby). She was spitting mad about recently losing bus service to an MPS elementary school located about 2 miles from her home. And that was not the only time that this issue came up while I was canvassing Minneapolis neighborhoods. A big cut in the MPS transportation budget was also discussed at the school board candidates forum near the end of October 2002. I recall Judy Farmer saying that the district gets some money from the state for transporting any student who lives more than 3 miles from school. And I recall Audrey Johnson saying something about how extending the walking distance to school would force students to get some needed exercise. I predicted that the cuts in bus service would have a negative effect on the district's enrollment and the district's financial situation. When it comes to the issue of what a reasonable and safe walking distance is, it's the opinion of the parents, not the board members, that really counts. -Doug Mann, King Field http://educationright.tripod.com REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
