I have to say “THANK YOU” to the Concerned Northshore Parent who wrote in regarding the new bus policies. I second that thought!

I have looked at the transportation Web site for the Northshore District. Their mission statement says: “Proudly working together to transport our students safely and efficiently.” This year “efficiently” has overtaken “safely” as the number one goal.

I have never let my kids take the bus in the morning to the high school, as walking to the bus in the dark, on unlit streets, with no sidewalks amid sleepy commuters seemed like a bad combination. Now the kids are required to walk even farther in more dangerous situations to “save wear and tear on the busses and the brakes.”

In my neighborhood, we have requested a change that would require the bus to let the kids off at the top of our hill (where we all live) instead of a block down the hill. When the driver drops the elementary students off, she then has to pass them (on a narrow road with no side walks). She then stops at the stop sign at the top of the hill and turns. So really, the change would mean one less stop for her. Common sense change, right?

The transportation department has said “no” because it’s a few feet into another school’s boundary. Does this make sense? Shouldn’t our children’s safety come first? That used to be true.