The Parents' Coalition has been forwarded the response below from Senator Rich Madaleno's office with regard to his effort to change the Maryland Constitution and permit counties to charge students for riding on public school buses. We have received the response below from multiple sources.
Senator Madaleno does not explain why he thinks bus service to some public school programs will be cut.
Has he been privy to the secret budget discussions of MCPS staff, the unions and MCCPTA?
It's time for him to share and stop spreading rumors! This is a public school system after all, funded with taxpayer dollars. Including the dollars that taxpayers ALREADY contribute to fund transportation for public schools as per Maryland law.
Senator Madaleno continues to ignore the Maryland Constitution and its guarantee of a free public education for Maryland students. What Constitutional amendment will Senator Madaleno be proposing to allow MCPS to charge students to ride public school buses?
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Thank you for your e-mail about the local Bus Transportation bill Senator Madaleno introduced for the upcoming legislative session. There have been some questions and misinformation about this local legislation in the press recently, so we appreciate the opportunity to respond to you.
Senator Madaleno's top goal in introducing this legislation is to see that bus service for students participating in magnet programs, language programs and highly gifted programs do not receive cuts next year. He believes these students and their parents deserve transportation options worthy of our world-class school system.
The bill he's introduced does not establish a fee for bus service. It simply gives the Montgomery County Board of Education the same authority as every other county in the state to do so. Our Board of Education is elected by the people and deserves the same level of autonomy as the other 23 school boards in our state. The reason our School Board is different from the rest is because a local bill was passed in 1996 that took this authority away from the School Board. In introducing this legislation, we are taking this power away from Annapolis and giving it back to the local Board of Education, where it rightfully belongs.
Senator Madaleno is also committed to making sure the School Board never implements a bus fee for non-optional programs. Public education is a fundamental right in Maryland, which should be free and open to all. Charging to bus students to and from school, for programs for disadvantaged youth or for students with disabilities is against his belief in this fundamental right.
I hope this is helpful in providing more background on this issue and explaining Senator Madaleno's rationale for introducing this local legislation. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have additional questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Adam
Adam S. Fogel
Chief of Staff
Office of Sen. Richard S. Madaleno, Jr.
18th Legislative District
203 James Senate Office Building
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
301.858.3137
Montgomery County is different? What MD county charges students to ride school buses? None? That's because it's against the law.
ReplyDeleteI read the Senator's bill, and no where does it single out "optional" educational programs.
ReplyDeleteBob Astrove
My niece in New Jersey now pays to ride her school bus because she lives within a certain distance from her school, and she is not in any "special" programs. As far as I know, there's been no legal challenge to it. Fees for buses -- for everyone -- are a real possibility.
ReplyDeleteWe should think about supporting the proposal. The county is heading into an even tighter budget than last year. Painful cuts will have to be made. It follows that absent the ability to impose fees, there is a real danger that bus service to magnets will be curtailed. Although no one wants to pay a fee for busing, the payment of the fee might be better than the alternative.
ReplyDelete@5:08 - Then push for a change to the Maryland Constitution. Because right now bus fees deprive children of access to a free public education.
ReplyDelete