At a recent ad hoc meeting of Fraser-Cascade School District No. 78, the Board was met with heated frustrations, as parents concerned with the lack of adherence to a policy regarding cross boundary busing came to the forefront of discussion for the Harrison Hot Springs/Kent area.
Policy 7700 (Section 1) states that ineligible students (students not attending current route schools) may ride the bus, provided there is space available on the bus and that no extra stops are required.
According to parents in attendance, the Board has reverted to policy (7000,) which negates policy 7700. Policy 7000 caters to students who attend the catchment area school only. The policy directly states that parents whose children transfer to a non-catchment school are responsible for transportation to and from school.
Burnt out parents from the Harrison Hot Springs and Kent area voiced strong opinions, regarding the dismissal of an already established policy and called for further resolution and accountability on behalf of the Board.
“We want the Board to stick to their policy that’s all,” said concerned parent Michelle Mailhot and owner of two Subway restaurants in the Agassiz area. “I have to make two trips a day, when there is an empty bus riding in front of me — it’s ridiculous.”
The Board stood firmly by their resolve to stick to policy 7000, until the proper protocol could be established to revise current policies which are in conflict with one another.
The transportation driver, caught in the crossfire of the situation maintained that it was his duty to follow direction from the Board.
“We will reconvene on September 15th, when we are better able to establish the appropriate steps to be taken to rectify the situation,” Superintendent of School District No. 78, Dr. Karen Nelson told The Hope Standard.