Residents React to Loss of Trenton District Busing on Facebook

It's official. There will not be for Trenton Public Schools for the 2011-12 school year.

Board members voted to adopt a budget Monday night that did not include transportation for general education students.

Patch asked our many Facebook friends how they felt about the decision and residents wasted no time in responding. Trenton Patch received the first comment on Facebook minutes after the story was first posted Monday night.

One of the concerns raised was safety. Many parents are worried their children will have to walk to school and the intersections are too dangerous to cross alone.

Some called for additional crossing guards, but according to William Lilienthal, Trenton chief of police, the city budget has already been passed and the number of crossing guards was not increased.

"Any adjustments would have to be well into the school year," Lilienthal said. "There is no way to tell the immediate increase in foot traffic. It's too early to tell. We are just going to have to monitor to see if there is any increase in foot traffic and we will have to address the issue."

Here are some reactions to the story on Facebook:

Aimie Lynch: "they must not care about the impact this will make towards families that dont have cars or that have kids in 2 or 3 different buildings sure people can car pool but with driver the average car can only hold 3 or 4 kids and that will leave some kids without rides or having to walk to school in bad or freezing weather."

Shannon Stewart Glatfelter: "Well I think it is a cut that needed to happen. It is unfortunate for some people but the fact of the matter is that it is the parents responsibility to get the child to and from school. If an emergency happens at school and the child need...s to be picked up, a parent can not just say "sorry, I don't have a car". I have 2 children at 2 different schools and at one point will have 3 children in all three schools but as a parent, it is my responsibility. Transportation is a luxury that Trenton simply can not afford. Where was the uproar when partial busing was cut...I believe some of those families have transportation issues and they still get their children to school. It is going to be tough but it was what needed to be done."

Cristin Anderson Hicks: "If we all thought the parking lots were crazy this year.... lol.... Can't wait to see how fun it will be this year..."

Lindsey Ashmore Hale: "I don't have kids in school yet, but that's bad :( What about people that live on the other side of Fort? Are they supposed to let their little kids cross fort street if they can't drive them?"

Lisa Mini Sawyer: "My kids would have to cross Fort and Van Horn to go to school. So now I will have to fight the traffic that was already bad on Marian when we had buses. It's going to be a nightmare now with probably triple the amount of traffic!"

Lisa Mini Sawyer: "And it doesn't make any sense that they kept the middle school pool open. Should have closed that before they cut busing."

Kristy Smith Thomas: "Are there going to be additional crossing guards for the kids that have no other way but to walk to school and what if they have to cross a major road ? I feel for those that have a long distance to walk to school and have no other choice with parents working or because there is no other choice."

Shannon Stewart Glatfelter: "I do feel for them also but the fact is that the child must get to school. Busing is a luxury that we became accustomed to. Not all districts have busing and we have kept ours for quite some time now. Partial busing was already cut and... it was very hard on those families but they figured it out. Schedules get rearranged, latchkey services can be used, neighbors will need to help each other out. It is going to be an adjustment but one we will have to get used to."

To get in on the discussion simply friend Trenton Patch's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TrentonPatch.