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Early Addition
In week 2 of the NYC Department of Education's busted school bus route changes, parents are still complaining and the media is loving it. There's 5 year old Michelle Baum in the Post today, waiting outside in the freezing weather for her bus. And the hotline the DOE has been directing parents to seems to be just as bad: In yesterday's Daily News, there was 11 year old Eleanor Shanahan whose family was told a bus would return to take her to school earlier, versus dropping her off 45 minutes late - only for her dad to find out from the school bus hotline that she would be "unrouted."
And, our favorite so far, is in the NY Times today: 9 year old Shira D'Costa was taking a bus from her school East 81st to her designated bus stop on East 93rd Street, but the trip takes 2 hours because the bus travels through Roosevelt Island (her parents have resorted to other ways of getting her home); her father said, "As parents with two young kids in New York City, we don’t have time to call up every morning to complain about the bus service.”
Mayor Bloomberg sort of apologized, but still kept up his support for the DOE and Schools Chancellor Klein and emphasized the millions the DOE would save. State Senator Ruben Diaz of the Bronx told Mayor Bloomberg he was "very disappointed" in the Mayor's school bus attitude and the Empire Zone had a funny exchange:
“I loved you,” Mr. Diaz told him. “I supported you.” [Diaz was "one of the only Democratic officials to endorse Mr. Bloomberg when he first ran for mayor, in 2001."]Snap! Still, Bloomberg's behavior is pretty alienating. It's very reminiscent of his reaction to the Queens blackout, you know, when he said that the situation sucked but Con Ed was doing everything it could - only for report after report to fault Con Ed.“Senator, I loved you and I was disappointed — I was disappointed that the second time I ran, you weren’t there,” Mr. Bloomberg replied.
The Daily News' Michael Daly recommended that the highly paid consultants that devised this school bus reorganization be given Metrocards instead of their limousine allowance.
Photograph a child waiting for the bus last year by Fallon Roxann on Flickr
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That's ridiculous. That consulting company should be sued in a class action suit.
Why does everything have to have a lawsuit for something? It's the parents responsibility to get their kids to school safely.
"You want to save humanity but it's people that you just can't stand..."
--- John Lennon
As a parent of a fourth-grader in the city school system, I can tell you that there's no one who give a damn about the problems of students, parents, and teachers less than Joel Klein. He has enacted improvements, yes, but with such an eye to the bottom line (dollars and test scores, which translates into, well, dollars) that the subsequent problems created by his solutions will be ignored.
Klein is a Robert Moses of the school system, to the good and the bad.
And since he was Mayor Bling's handpicked boy, he'll follow him right to the end.
"The Daily News' Michael Daly recommended that the highly paid consultants that devised this school bus reorganization be given Metrocards instead of their limousine allowance."
F that - the consultants should have to ride buses on routes devised by the parents!
her father said, "As parents with two young kids in New York City, we don’t have time to call up every morning to complain about the bus service.”
Why have kids then when you don't have time to take your kids to school? People want everything these days. They complain about the educational system in NY so Bloomberg does something to get more money (by cutting costs). And they complain when he does something to redistribute costs. Complain complain complain. Don't have kids if you don't have time or can't afford to transport your kids to school.
her father said, "As parents with two young kids in New York City, we don’t have time to call up every morning to complain about the bus service.”
Why have kids then when you don't have time to take your kids to school? People want everything these days. They complain about the educational system in NY so Bloomberg does something to get more money (by cutting costs). And they complain when he does something to redistribute costs. Complain complain complain. Don't have kids if you don't have time or can't afford to transport your kids to school.
Deadbeats:
Couldn't agree with you more. And what about all the people that want the City to provide subways and city buses. Believe you me, the transit fare doesn't cover the costs there.
If you can't afford a car or at least taxis then stay the hell out of New York.
Who cares?? NYC Public Schools are just holding pens for kids too young to be at Riker's Island yet (or Attica, Bedford Hills, Sing Sing, etc.)
So the little bastards have to ride on a bus for 2 hours instead of getting home quick to steal shit and be nuisances. Good for the consulting firm taking them off the street.
This kind of thing is Bloomberg's weakness-- and I voted for the guy-- trusting "experts" and ingnoring/insulting those who say the emperor has no clothes.
It's the kind of thing that should tell him not to run for president, where you have to eat frustration and opposition for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
And Joel Klein? He's the guy who SETTLED an anti-trust case with Microsoft.
This escapade is no less incompetent than one of Vito Lopez' social service programs-- and just as corrupt.
Fuck Public Schools:
Sorry to out you but with your attitude you can in real life be no other than Joel I. Klein, New York Schools Chancellor! No wonder nothing ever gets done at the DOE.
That's funny ! So whoever was in control decided that it was of utmost importance to get the rest of the kids to class at the expense of one child ! Sad, So sad !