Busing concerns

Dear editor:
There has been a discontinue of busing on Christie Avenue North due to safety concerns raised by the school bus drivers.
As concerned parents, we strongly disagree since the end of our street is big enough for fire trucks, snowplows, garbage trucks, and other service vehicles to turn around.
Our son attended the “First Riders” program and enjoyed it very much. At that time, there was no mention of him not being able to be picked up at our front door.
The one thing that was brought to our attention, and strongly impressed upon, was that JK and SK students were to be picked up at their front doors, and that parents had to be seen by the bus driver before being able to be dropped off at our front doors.
We were dismayed to learn that the bus driver had deemed our street unsafe to drive down after having done so in previous years with no problems.
There are two private day cares on this street and at least two families with kindergarten students who rely on bus pick-up at their doors. It is unlawful to leave young children unattended while bringing these small children down to the corner to catch the bus, as well as after-school pick-up.
The decision to support the driver’s position potentially places several younger children in jeopardy, and also could cause the two day cares to lose more of their kindergarten-aged charges (one already has been moved to a different day care because of this problem).
We pay school taxes for good reason (education and transportation), right?
Concerned parents,
Kelly & Myndi Siemens
Fort Frances, Ont.