I write this petition from the place of a concerned South Plainfield citizen and parent, who believes that the long, treacherous trek that our children experience to and from school should not be a norm. Kids shouldn't have to walk 40+ minutes through hazardous conditions.

Hazardous Routes

Today on a pleasant day the hazardous conditions include lack of pavement and infrastructure, crossing bridges, train tracks, heavy commercial traffic routes including others as defined by NJ state. During severe weather (Rain, Snow and Severe cold) conditions above mentioned risks are multiplied. It's unjust to expect our young ones to brave such conditions, especially in a world where solutions exist to this problem.

Child Safety and Security is Nonnegotiable:

According to the Transportation Research Board, child pedestrian accidents are a leading cause of pedestrian deaths and injuries in the US. While the journey to school only represents a small portion of a child’s day, it includes relatively high exposure to traffic risks compared to other times of the day. It's undeniable that these preventable accidents illustrate a dire need for a more secure mode of transportation for our children. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school buses are one of the safest forms of transportation on the road.

According to the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, the morning commute hours of 7-8am see the highest number of accidents involving school-age pedestrians. Additionally, the CDC states that in 2017 alone, 101 school-aged children were killed while walking. It's heartbreaking to consider that any child, especially ones so young, should face this type of risk simply to get their education.

Economic Impact:

For working parents like us, ensuring the safety of our children while balancing work duties is a daily challenge. Ours is a story shared by many in this district, families who are living hands to mouth, juggling between their profession and managing their child's commute to school. In extreme cases, parents are often forced to reduce work hours or shift to part-time jobs, unsettling the financial stability of South Plainfield residents.

Solutions

We want your support to come with a compromised approach with the board of education.

Ask 1: Subscription busing.

Ask 2: Hazardous route consideration

Ask 3: Non-profit partnerships to close budget gaps

Ask 4: Represent parents to New Jersey Board of Education/Governor

 

We believe in the importance of creating safe, comfortable, and encouraging environments for our children to grow, learn, and thrive. The importance of this petition cannot be overstated, for it directly impacts the wellbeing of our children, the future leaders of our community.

Join us in safeguarding our children's journey to the future. Please, sign this petition today.

Additional Resources

Hazardous Route: Section 18A:39-1.5: https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-18a/section-18a-39-1-5/

South Plainfield Bylaw: Subscription busing: https://www.straussesmay.com/seportal/Public/DistrictPolicy.aspx?policyid=8600&id=6ee753316f7540a7930a238a3dcaee91