Abba, the Lakewood monitor overrode the Board and set the referendum to increase taxes. The referendum is widely expected to be rejected by the voters. The monitor then indicated he will eliminate courtesy busing for both the private and public school students beginning January 30th.
It’s also been revealed that the budget shortfall is now $9.5 million rather than the previously stated $6 million, though the referendum is only for the previously assumed $6 million shortfall.
Given that eliminating courtesy busing means that 40% of the public school students will lost busing to public school in Lakewood (a much higher percentage than private school students who are more likely to live further away from their school), don’t you think the public school parents will revolt against the monitor for eliminating courtesy busing?
Also, you above said the yeshivas can’t change back to all opening at the same time since the current bus routes are set for the remainder of the school year. But, nevertheless, if the yeshivas that are now opening earlier simply decided that beginning January 30 they are going to open later like the other yeshivas that are opening later, and they advise the Board, the monitor and bus companies that no school personnel or adults will be at the school premises at the earlier time, and if the bus arrives earlier than the new rescheduled opening times then the bus drivers will be legally responsible to remain with the children until school personnel arrive to open the building, and the bus driver cannot dump children unattended in front of a closed school, will that tactic not force the Board to lose their saving from the staggered times the yeshivas only agreed to based on continuing courtesy busing? (The board still maintains a legal obligation to provide bus transportation to all private school students [other than courtesy] regardless if when the school opens up. And the board’s obligation is to the parents/students, not to the school. So the school’s change can’t be used to drop transporting the students.)