Request for Equitable Transportation for All Elementary School Student

To: The Peekskill City School District Board of Education and the City of Peekskill

We, the undersigned residents, parents, guardians, and concerned community members of Peekskill, respectfully submit this petition requesting that the Peekskill City School District provide safe and reliable school transportation for all elementary school students, regardless of the distance between their homes and assigned schools.

Background

Under current transportation policies, elementary school students who reside within a certain proximity to their school are ineligible for district-provided transportation. This policy disproportionately impacts young children who must walk significant distances, often along routes with heavy traffic, limited sidewalks, and insufficient crossing protections.

Families without access to a vehicle or flexible work schedules face additional hardship in ensuring their children arrive at school safely and on time. As a result, the current system creates inequitable conditions that compromise both student safety and educational access.

Petition Statement

We believe that every child in Peekskill deserves safe and consistent access to education, regardless of where they live. Therefore, we respectfully urge the Peekskill City School District and the City of Peekskill to:

Amend existing transportation policies to ensure that all elementary students are eligible for bus transportation, without regard to home-to-school distance;
Conduct a comprehensive safety review of walking routes currently used by students deemed ineligible for transportation;
Prioritize student safety and equity in all transportation-related decisions; and
Engage families and community stakeholders in developing an inclusive, transparent transportation plan that meets the needs of all children.

The safety and well-being of our youngest students must remain a top priority. Providing equitable transportation is not only a matter of convenience — it is a matter of fairness, safety, and community responsibility.

We respectfully call upon the Peekskill City School District and City leadership to take immediate action to review and revise transportation policies so that no elementary school student is left without a safe means of traveling to and from school.

Signed,