ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – Parents living in a Rochester Hills subdivision are pleading for a solution from the school district, as they can't get school buses to pick up their children.
The Country Club Village subdivision is within the 1 1/2-mile limit that disqualifies them from busing, but they said the route the children walk to school is "far too dangerous."
Parents of Reuther Middle School students aren't giving up the fight, even though they're out of appeals and each time they complain, the school district cites state law that it doesn't have to bus inside the 1 1/2-mile radius. Parents said the law is outdated and that no child should have to navigate their current route.
"The school board all agreed this was a dangerous situation for our students, but there was nothing they could do about it," Kate Condon said. "It's frustrating, to say the least. They say their main concern is the education of their students, and that has to include safety, if you ask all of us."
Parents have been denied three times by the district.
"There's no street lights, you can see right here," Condon said. "Our kids will be walking when it's dark out."
In addition to lighting, parents cite heavy traffic for children crossing the major intersection of Auburn and John R roads. They said there are areas where the sidewalk is dangerously close to the road.
"I have a fifth-grader entering Reuther, and she would be terrified to walk that route," Jessie Parsons said.
Local 4 was told nobody was available at the superintendent's office on Tuesday, but we received a statement that read, in part:
"After extensive deliberation, the board voted to deny the transportation appeal, and they directed Dr. Shaner to conduct a study to ensure district policy remains current with safety requirements and guidelines for all students."
"Certainly, what we witnessed last night with the school board, we just feel like there's no one in our corner trying to help with the safety of our kids," Lynne Dieterle said.
Parents said their solution is feasible because their children have been riding the bus this week due to construction that has closed the sidewalk.
The intersection on the route isn't one of the most dangerous intersections in the city, but a mile away, the Auburn-Rochester intersection is ranked the 16th most dangerous in the state.
At least one other neighborhood inside the 1 1/2-mile radius gets bus service, but the district hasn't explained why.