My children, among many others, are victims of the recent changes in bus transportation policy at CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD. This abrupt change, which parents were informed about barely before the school year, has rendered students, particularly the less privileged ones, to take on an unsafe journey daily -- walking up to 4 miles round trip to their middle and high schools.

The new policy incongruously overlooks the realities of our district: lacking sidewalks, massive highways to cross, heavy traffic, and narrow side streets. As a parent of children with disabilities who attend school at varying times, I see this as an unimaginable difficulty that puts students' safety at risk.

Moreover, Houston already wrestles with considerable pedestrian fatalities, with reports attributing the crisis to a lack of sidewalks and safe pedestrian infrastructure. Placing such a burden on our children, to navigate these hazards on their daily route to school, is indefensible.

This change is not only a safety concern but also a socioeconomic issue. By not providing transportation, the CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS ISD is disproportionately affecting less privileged students who may not have alternatives, further widening the educational gap.

The return of CyFair Bus Transportation service as it was before the wealth-fueled budget cuts will ensure all students have safe, equitable access to education. Our children's safety and education are at stake, we cannot afford to be silent.

Please, join us in demanding a reinstatement of the CyFair Bus Transportation. Sign the petition today.