Dear editor,
I was impressed by the turn out of elementary students at the cross-country run at Huband School earlier in this school year. It was well attended with 100 cars spilling onto the street and parking lots. For some schools it is easier to get parent volunteers to drive students to this healthy lifestyle choice event. For other schools it is a source of stress and uncertainty.
At Courtenay Elementary School we had to leave cross-country runners behind because we had too many keen students but not enough drivers. What a strange problem having too many runners!
Having to rely on parent volunteer drivers means cost onto families, loss of work time, cost of gas, etc. Then, should car troubles arise, some children will be forced to drop out of the event, or worse, the whole trip will be cancelled, negating hours of planning and organizing by teachers, staff, and parents.
This is extremely disappointing to the underprivileged student whose family does not own a vehicle and does not get these learning experiences.
I’d prefer that a licensed driver of a public school bus be the one to drive the children to school field trips and after school cross-country runs.
As a parent or volunteer driver you need to prove your vehicle has appropriate insurance coverage.
Parents take on the liability to transport students.
What happens if a parent-driven vehicle on a school field trip is involved in a serious accident?
I feel much safer with students on a bus driven by a trained and competent driver with liability insurance coverage and a maintained non smoking vehicle.
By driving students to field trips and school sports events I feel we are enabling the school system.
Well-off school areas will have more opportunities for students and lower-income area schools will have less. Bring back the school bus.
Kindle Parsons
Courtenay
