Busing concerns center stage in Saugus

SAUGUS – Busing took center stage at Thursday night?s School Committee meeting, as more than 40 parents and students packed the hearing room to blast the district?s plan to provide busing to only K-8 students that live over two miles away from schools.Lynnhurst fourth-grader Seth Vickers started the public comment portion with a plea for the committee to reconsider.?Would $80,000 be worth a child?s life of any age?” said Vickers, in reference to the amount the district would cut to busing. “There are problems that we have no sidewalks. It?s basically just all streets. In winter there are snowbanks and heavy traffic. Then there are kidnappers and some bullies can do anything and some kids might have to leave the public schools.”Ideas brought up during the meeting included regional bus stops, parents funding their own buses, local businesses supporting busing and a user fee of $800 or more to fund a third bus.The proposed cuts to busing is part of Superintendent Richard Langlois? three-tier reduction plan. After the school was level-funded this year, the district had to make $1.2 million in cuts to compensate for increases in contractual costs.After the snow-and-ice assessment passed, the schools received $700,000. This restored the third and most of the second tier, the cuts which were considered the most severe. However, it was not enough to cover the first tier, which was considered the least severe and includes cuts to crossing guards, custodial staff and two elementary school teachers.?You cut crossing guards, you cut the bus,” said John Marchetti. “What else do these citizens have to do to show this is more than just a bus and crossing guard issue? There?s a whole lot of safety involved.”Hawkes Street resident Stephen Austin also raised concerns about safety, and said he doesn?t want to see his 13-year-old son crossing Route 1 to get to school.?This is about the safety of my son getting back and forth to school,” said Austin. “One of the reasons we chose to stay in Saugus is because of the school system. It?s unbecoming to take the bus to school away for any grade. I don?t think it?s right. It?s not fair.”Committee members agreed to hold another meeting of the Transportation Subcommittee before its next meeting on Aug. 11. In that time the committee will try and brainstorm ideas to tackle the busing issue, and urged parents to do the same.