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She is a mom on a mission.

Anetka Sosa told me – she’s had it.

The Lockport mom says her five-year-old is expected to walk to school with no sidewalks or shoulders on the roadways. There’s also a busy road to cross, and it’s about a mile total – each way. She posted about the issue on social media and has an awful lot of support from moms and dads all around Western New York and beyond.

“Our district will not bus within a mile, no exceptions they told me. We are just a couple houses short of our little ones qualifying to take a bus. We are so close that the bus stands directly in front of our home for 15 minutes before it starts their route. Children in our development get picked up just not within that mile. Why my child can’t walk a few doors down with me and be picked up is beyond me.”

Anetka has complained, but it hasn’t helped, “Mind you, I have a 2 year old and a 3 month old that would have to make this trip with me. I want to cry I’m so frustrated.”

Many districts have policies that state children who live within a certain proximity of the school are not bused.

This mom says she speaks for any and all kids who have to walk.

“I know when we were little we walked longer distances, I know that others may have it worse but this should not be happening, I don’t know what logic was used to make this law stick but I’m asking you to help me change it. I will not go quietly.”

Anetka doesn’t want her child missing school when it’s bad out. She doesn’t want any child to be hit by a car. Anetka told me people ask her why she didn’t check into the busing issue before buying her home, “I didn’t think we had to look into something like this when we purchased our home we didn’t find out until we moved in and tried to set up busing. It was common sense that no 5 year old would be expected to find his own way to school. There’s no compassion or concern at all. I’m baffled.”

“I tried to reason with them and was told that the law was on their side. This law needs to change! Not everyone has 2 vehicles, not everyone needs two vehicles. My husband and I work opposite shifts for the sole purpose that one of us is always home with our children. Why do they have to make this so difficult? What do our school taxes pay for?”

And really, it all comes down to one thing – the bottom line. But, what’s especially frustrating is the fact that Anetka – and other parents of walkers – still pay the same amount of school taxes as anyone else, “Do I pay less because my child is a “walker”, I don’t think so. Instead to save a few bucks and put it in someone else’s pocket we’re left with no options, just left to figure it out. In other words they are saying “your child does not matter”. Well that’s not good enough for me, I will fight whoever I have to.”

This s a situation that really should be addressed,

“Just to be clear the purpose of this post is to make the point that EACH and EVERY child deserves the promise of a safe way to school. No one should be excluded. You never know someone’s situation, whether it’s a single parent trying to manage everything themselves and make it to work, not everyone has help, not everyone has options. Sometimes the only safe place a child has is school, what if they can’t make it there? This law is letting those children down. No exceptions, no hardships matter, you don’t matter. Your child’s absence does not matter, only your tax dollar does. Each child should be provided with a way to school not just mine. They don’t have voices big enough, we have to speak for them, fight for them.”

I have an email out to the Lockport School District – and will hopefully hear back from them after the break. I will keep you posted.

I understand Anetka’s frustration. When I was a single mom living on Grand Island – we lived less than a mile from the school and my girls had to walk. I hated it. In the rain, the snow, the cold. I often said the same thing – I pay the same school taxes – a dozen buses drive by our street – this is unacceptable.

And Anetka is right – you never know what someone’s situation is. Every child deserves to be bused to school!

If you would like to contact any Lockport school officials on behalf of Anetka and other parents, here is some info:

Superintendent of Schools

Michelle T. Bradley

130 Beattie Avenue

(716) 478-4838

mbradley@lockportschools.net

School Board Members:

Dr. John Craig – john.craig@lockportschools.net

Thomas Fiegl – thomas.fiegl@lockportschools.net

Heather Hare – heather.hare@lockportschools.net

John Linderman –john.linderman@lockportschools.net

Victoria Obot – victoria.obot@lockportschools.net

Kevin Pratt – kevin.pratt@lockportschools.net

Edward Sandell – edward.sandell@lockportschools.net

Marietta Schrader – marietta.schrader@gmail.com

Karen Young – karen.young@lockportschools.net

Here is a link to the petition started

https://www.change.org/p/lockport-school-board-each-and-every-child-deserves-a-safe-way-to-school-busalllittleones-mommyonamission

Please help spread the word!

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