Fairness for King George Students and Parents

The Upper Grand District School Board has chosen Waverley Drive Public School to be the home of English-track King George Public School students while the new King George school is being built.

Waverley is located several kilometres from the King George site and the Board is expecting students to walk up to 45 minutes to and from school along and across busy roads, including arterial roads such as Eramosa and Speedvale.

However, due to safety concerns, it is unlikely that many students will actually walk. Many parents will be forced to drive their child to school, causing traffic congestion and safety concerns at Waverley. Parents unable to drive their child may send their child to school on a City bus, but some parents will be unable to afford the cost - more than $600 for the school year.

Parents choose where to live based upon their personal perception of their child's safety when walking to school, and affordability if their child needs to take a City bus. It is unfair for the Board to impose new conditions on the families affected by their transition project. Such Board initiatives should be designed to avoid unnecessary disruption to families, and potential danger to students.

A solution discussed among parents has students continuing to walk to and from a site near King George, and the Board providing a quick 'shuttle' bus between King George and Waverley.

This solution allows the healthy walking culture at schools such as Laurine Avenue and Ottawa Crescent Public Schools to continue, while providing safe transportation to Waverley.

The Board's King George transition project has a budget near $9 million. Most parents of students walking to and from King George have subsidized the busing of students at other schools for many years. Now students in the King George area need busing - for one school year - and parents are being told the well is dry. Surely the board can find the funds to provide shuttle busing to and from Waverley while a new King George Public School is built.