Editorial: Safety is first when busing kids

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2001 | 9:33 a.m.

Assemblyman Mark Manendo wants the Clark County School District to reduce the distance that elementary school students now must walk to attend school. Currently only children who live at least 2 miles from their school receive bus service, but the Las Vegas Democrat wants to lower the distance requirement to 1 1/2 miles. Manendo's legislation has run into opposition from the Clark County School District, which says the expanded service annually would cost $14 million, money that it says it doesn't have. Legislators, however, question how wisely the school district is using its buses, and wonder whether the schools have money available that it could use to bus more children.

Rather than using arbitrary mileage cutoffs as to who gets bus service, it would be more sensible to look at each situation. For instance, some children might live just a one-half mile from school, but their trek could be dangerous if it requires walking along highly-congested streets without sidewalks. Meanwhile, students who live elsewhere in the valley, and whose route to school is enveloped by safe neighborhoods, could feasibly walk longer.

The Clark County School District and state legislators should sit down to identify those elementary schools that need more buses. If this requires more money than what is now available, then state government should provide it so that the schools aren't hit with an unfunded mandate. Children deserve a safe route to and from school -- legislators and school district officials shouldn't let squabbling over money get in the way of a sensible solution.