by Cris Italia
Several residents have recently expressed a concern over the issue. Currently buses in Oceanside only pick up students who live over 1.2 miles from School 9 on Alice Avenue. This excludes students who still have to cross Long Beach Road everyday to get to school.
I'm worried about the safety of not only my children, but all children, said Robin Broking, who fought to put proposition 3 on the ballot. The proposition will bring the mileage from 1.2 miles down to 1 mile. In reality all students should be bused no matter where they live, Broking said.
Four years ago Broking moved to Oceanside with the understanding that her children would receive busing no matter where they lived. Just two years from now her son will be attending middle school. I don't want to wonder everyday whether he made it to school or made it home, said Broking who works full-time in Manhattan.
It's hard for me to be able to drop both of my kids off, she said. Broking's work hours would make it difficult for her to drop off and pick up her children from different schools everyday.
Broking knows that the extra mileage covered by buses would mean more money Oceanside residents would have shell out for taxes every year. I don't think a price should be put on our children, she said. After crunching the numbers, Broking came up with a cost of about 10 to 15 dollars per house hold a year.
She says that the Board of Education and Superintendent Herb Brown have not been as supportive as she would have liked them to be on this matter. I've been appalled by the lack of support, Broking said. Dr. Brown has said that this only effects about fifty students, that's more than enough.
Brown has said that the proposition is on the ballot and up to the voters. This will be for the community to decide, Brown said.
School Board candidate, Don Maresca said, We thought enough of this issue to put it on the ballot, now its up to the voters. If they want it they will vote for it and pay the tax increase.
Just last week a young girl was riding her bike when a stranger approached her and grabbed her. Fortunately she got away, and although she was not hurt and the incident did not happen near school grounds, Broking says the question remains, How safe are our kids?
She also made reference to an incident three years ago when a child was killed while crossing Long Beach Road. That's what I'm worried about, and it can happen at anytime to any person, why wouldn't we ensure their safety, Broking questioned.
Another Oceanside parent agrees, safety should come first. Some students are not just walking five blocks, and if the students crossing the streets don't have crossing guards on major intersections then we do need something more, said Wendy Stohlerman, who is a parent of a fifth and third grader.
If your middle school child has to cross Long Beach Road, they have to fend for themselves, she said. Stohlerman lives on Concord Avenue and is dreading sending her oldest child to middle school next year. It's tough on me because of my job, the hours with grade school and middle school, I'm going to be like a ping-pong ball just trying to pick them up from school.
I think the only way this would get passed is if something devastating happens and that's just sad, Stephen Broking said. [Children] are the future of our country, what kind of example are we setting if we can't get this done for our children.
