The Saratoga Springs City School District has received national
attention on an issue that may not seem groundbreaking to many, but to
one parent in the city, it's a cause for concern.
Members of the Board of Education unanimously voted to change the biking to school policy that was made in the mid-90s to protect the safety of students. Biking to and from school was not previously allowed as it posed safety concerns to school officials about students biking in heavy traffic. Biking to school is now permitted, but at the discretion of individual school officials.
A committee was formed over the summer to determine safe access to the schools and individual schools have formed teams to develop safe guidelines for students to bike to school.
The debate came to a head when Saratoga Springs mother Janette Kaddo Martin biked with her son to school against school policy. It is her belief that parents should decide if their children should be able to bike to school, especially with rising childhood obesity issues looming over the country.
The new policy that was adopted at Tuesday's Board of Education Meeting states that parents or guardians must accompany their children if they are biking to school and a note of permission must be on record. The school administration will decide what the safe routes are.
"Our concern as a district is and has always been the safety of our children," said Superintendent Janice White. "The time periods when children will be riding to school are the times when there is maximum traffic in these areas. Committees have been formed to determine safe access to the schools and regulations will be set in the near future."
White added that within a month or so there will be new developments with this policy.
"Access to properties is different at every building. Guidelines need to be developed individually to ensure the safety of the students."
A committee was formed over the summer to determine safe access to the schools and individual schools have formed teams to develop safe guidelines for students to bike to school.
The debate came to a head when Saratoga Springs mother Janette Kaddo Martin biked with her son to school against school policy. It is her belief that parents should decide if their children should be able to bike to school, especially with rising childhood obesity issues looming over the country.
The new policy that was adopted at Tuesday's Board of Education Meeting states that parents or guardians must accompany their children if they are biking to school and a note of permission must be on record. The school administration will decide what the safe routes are.
"Our concern as a district is and has always been the safety of our children," said Superintendent Janice White. "The time periods when children will be riding to school are the times when there is maximum traffic in these areas. Committees have been formed to determine safe access to the schools and regulations will be set in the near future."
White added that within a month or so there will be new developments with this policy.
"Access to properties is different at every building. Guidelines need to be developed individually to ensure the safety of the students."
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