For many years Hillsborough County District Schools have been providing courtesy busing for students who live within a two-mile radius from their school. For the first time, the district has taken away the courtesy busing in order to save money. Taking away the courtesy busing has saved the county around millions dollars already according to major news sources and they are looking to make more cuts next year.
Now that courtesy busing has come to an end for middle and high schoolers, 7,500 students are being forced to change their morning routines in order to get to school. Some students are required to walk or ride their bikes while others call out to their parents for help.
Many parents are not thrilled about having to come up with new alternatives and fear that some of those alternatives are too dangerous for the students.
For example many parents are worried about to walk to school may worry some parents due to the dangers of morning traffic and predators
because it poses many threats. Some are worried about the morning rush and the many corners people, including students, tend to cut. For example, many students have been caught walking through businesses, parking lots, and busy roads in order to get to school. Another example would be parents.
For right now the cut down has only been implemented for high schools and middle schools but for next year the district is trying to make some more cuts and exclude elementary students from the two-mile radius as well.
Many spokespersons from the district have tried to come up with solutions/alternatives for parents who think it’s risky to have their child
“I would think that within your community or neighborhood [you should] get to know your neighbors and carpool that’s an option I’ve been saying to some parents,” Mrs coleman
“As a bus driver, I can understand why the county needs to cut back. If they’re that close a lot of kids can walk and parents can bring them and it would save the count a lot of money,” said Victoria Cornatte
