A school district in Gloucester County left parents and local authorities stunned over the weekend after announcing it would reduce the number of students eligible for free bus services.
Officials with the Deptford Township School District stated they're also reducing the number of bus stops used for pick-ups and drop-offs.
Now, Mayor Paul Medany is pushing back, saying he and the police department were not involved in creating the new plan.
South Jersey school district reduces number of students eligible for free bus services
Superintendent Kevin Kanauss shared the changes in a letter sent out to parents Friday afternoon, just weeks before the start of school.
It described the district's plan to eliminate free bus service for students who live within a certain distance from the school they attend.
Elementary and middle school students who live less than two miles from their school will no longer get free service. It also applies to high school students who live less than two and a half miles away from their school.
Medany says he had several concerns with this, specifically with students' safety.
He told Action News that school leaders did not meet with the mayor's administration or police to discuss safety measures and walking paths.
"Deptford Township on an average day has about 50,000 vehicles pass through," said Medany. "Plus you have distracted driving. A lot of folks are on cellphones."
"We don't think it's safe for kids to walk two miles to school, down highways -- arterial highways -- neighborhoods without curbs and sidewalks. It's just not safe," he added.
Kanauss released the following response to the mayor's concerns:
"The Deptford Township Council and police department were not a part of this decision and plan. I met with individuals from town council last week as a courtesy to inform them of the impending transportation changes, but I accept heavy responsibility of this decision," Kanauss said.
He added that any worries with the new bus plan should be brought to him, not the council or police department.
Kanauss initially said that the changes would save the district roughly $1.65 million annually. He said the savings will allow the district to reallocate that money to support "much-needed areas."
That includes security and renovations at schools, maintaining and increasing teaching staff, academic programs, classroom resources, and student support services, according to Kanauss.
Kanauss said the district would offer an annual bus subscription for $365 per student for parents who want their children to be bussed to school.
He said that was about half the cost of what the district currently pays to offer free bus service to each child it transports.
However, Kanauss also added that if a student with the subscription misses their seat on the bus three times -- and they're later present at school -- the child will lose their seat to another on the waiting list.
Despite the reasoning behind it, parents told Action News they were unsettled by the district's plans.
"For me, whether they get a bus or they don't get a bus, I can make it work. I think the most disheartening part of this whole thing is it doesn't seem like the people who don't have that village were thought of," said Colleen Crawford, whose children are impacted by the new bus plan.
She also criticized the district's subscription plan for children in need of the bus.
"So you're paying this money and it doesn't seem like you're guaranteed for a full year. So you have to start thinking of the impact that could have on attendance," said Crawford.
Medany largely agreed, saying the new plan could also be dangerous.
"We feel this plan is extremely unsafe, extremely inconvenient for moms and dads to get the kids to school, and it's extremely dangerous for kids in what - 3rd, 4th and 5th grade - to be walking to school two miles in Deptford Township," the mayor said.
He's hoping the district revises the plan before the school year begins.
"We understand there's monetary issues in every budget - school budget, township budgets, etc. But we need to find a way to do this safely. We need to find a way to do it where you can't hit it on people three weeks before school starts," said Medany.
"We deserve better and our kids deserve better," added Crawford.
The Deptford Township School District will give a public presentation regarding the changes at the next board of education meeting scheduled for August 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the middle school cafeteria.