School bus cuts prompt Calgary parents to march on CBE headquarters

A group of Calgary parents marched to the board of education office Tuesday to protest the long distances that children must walk after changes to the school bus service.

Parents and students walked 1.8 kilometres from the McDougall Centre to the Calgary Board of Education building, the same distance many students now have to walk to reach a so-called "congregated bus stop."

"I think that's too long for any young kid to be walking, especially younger than me," said 11-year-old Diana Davis. "In winter, it would feel a lot longer."

The 'Walk a Kilometre in My Shoes' march was organized by Davis' mother, Lisa Davis, president of the Calgary Association of Parents and School Councils (CAPSC).

"It is unreasonable to ask five- and six-year-old children to walk 30 minutes to get to their bus in the cold and dark in winter," said Lisa Davis. "This is not accessible public education."

"We need change and we need it before winter," she added.

In a bid to cut costs, the CBE announced in May it would replace numerous regular bus stops with a handful of the congregated stops, forcing some students to walk 2.4 kilometres to catch a bus.

After numerous complaints, the CBE revised the system so elementary students would walk a maximum of 1.6 kilometres and junior high students 1.8 kilometres.

CAPSC is seeking a return to last year's service levels, and a maximum walking distance of 800 metres for elementary school students, in line with the Calgary Catholic School District standard.

The parents' group is also calling on the CBE to publicly release where its transportation funding has gone over the last three years.

It has 1,280 signatures on a petition calling for an independent financial review of transportation fees, including Calgary Transit fees, paid by parents.

The public board transports more than 38,000 students each day by bus.