I have to take exception to the claim that French Immersion students were the ones most affected by the changes to busing.
This is simply not so. Many families were affected including the families in my neighbourhood. We are near the extreme end of the walk limits for all schools. Our high school students would have a 4.5 km walk, middle school students a 3.7 km walk and elementary school students just under a 3 km walk each way along the highway to their catchment schools.
The alternative is for them to cross four lanes of highway traffic without a traffic light at rush hour to access the courtesy seats available to them at the nearest bus stop for a premium fee.
If parents want to send their children outside their catchment area to special programs that’s their decision and their responsibility. I believe the Board of Education for School District 69 should prioritize getting kids to their own neighbourhood schools first. If the funds are there to accommodate cross-boundary busing after that, great.
The French Immersion program is a valuable program. In fact, my oldest daughter will graduate from it this June.
Cora Strasky
Parksville
