B#**^ Govt and Schools

The Govt has implemented a shut down of bus routes to rural schools mid year , what annoys me the most is not so much that they are shortening the bus routes but they are doing it now. It affects all rural schools in NZ, basically forcing those of us who choose the school that our children can attend to send them to schools that are "closer". We are in a situation where we have the choice of about 4 primary schools, the bus does not come down our no exit road so we have to get in the car anyway. What I find unethical (:rolleyes:) is that they are shortening bus routes for one school but covering it with a bus from another school, apparently to save money?????????? URRRRRRRRRRR Feel better now I have written to you guys........ Anyone else out there experiencing this. Our school is looking at getting the parents to pay to keep the statis quo. Our kids are the only ones who have to be driven to bus stop, but now we are going to have to pay for the privilage.[}]

Years ago the childs age also came into it - is that still the case? For several years the kids had to walk down to the next bus stop (we were on a main road) but when youngest started school the bus came to our gate. When he turned 6, back down to the next bus stop. We were ment to pay something then too, but if you took a turn on the driving roster you didn't have to pay. All the parents took a turn and they only paid a driver when parents weren't available.

Been thru that [}], they wouldn't wear it [!] as we are just out of our school's range or area,By road, but not as the crow flies [!]. We could have sent them into town but we would have still have had to have taken them down our road by car what ever school they went to, not sure even if the local town school has a bus anyway as it is in the middle of suberbia and everyone walks.
And as for walking and riding a bike, I don't think so what with coal trucks, normal farm transport up and down the main road into town and what we are to expect coming down our road in the near future............

Blimey that is not good news for you.

As far as I am concerned the whole of the education system is broken, but you really don't want to get me onto THAT soapbox.

I hope you can find a good solution.

Pru, won't you have more time on your hands soon? Homeschool? [}] That would stop you getting bored!

To be honest, Most (just changed it from all [])Govt Depts are broken, and Like u Kiwismum don't get me started [!] as I am retiring from one very very soon, Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee

My OH and I are going to suggest looking into the cost of getting our own, the dead money that it is going to cost to keep our kids there may as well be useful. We are part of a group of "cluster" schools, and our own bus could be used for those get togethers instead of relying on parent transport Eeeevry time. Same ones doing it. I always go to support my own kids [^]. So you have to stand around in the cold just watching, it can be fun to just watch.

[!][!] tigger what are you suggesting, I need to spend more time with my kids [][], I have a horse to ride a garden to tidy [:0], the stock to look after. I haven't got time to teach them as well.
I have enough trouble getting them ready for school, they drag their wee toes so much.
And to be honest, I am lazy and I don't have the inclination or the patience. There I have admitted it [], is there a club I can join like AA

"My name is .... and I am a lazy mother"

My excuse is, because I am an "older" mum[], I had way too many years of "my time" before the kids came along and I wanna "my time" back [^] My "baby" ( horse ) is 20 yrs old this year, where have the years gone .

Oh I so could not have home schooled my kids. I admire those who do but like you Pru2 I would not have had the patience. i would have ended up killing them lol Don't get me wrong they were great kids but the thought of spending ALL day with them would have sent me spare. I think its a thing Mums can or can't do. it would take the patience of a saint and you would have to have had a good education yourself to attempt something so big.

Ah ha ha ha, I totally agree with you guys about homeschooling. I would be dead by now and my mum would be sharing a cell at the local prison.

Even Dad lost his temper with me and he's usually a calm sort of bloke.

He took me into another room to go over my maths homework...... that was his first mistake, his second was trying to get me to figure it out myself.
I argued with him, he got stroppy, lost his temper and threw the pen at me. In the next breath he apologised for throwing the pen at me but also said I would try the paitence of a saint.

As for the bus service, I find it strange how the government is trying to encourage people to car pool, use public transport etc and then start taking away things like this bus service you have. Not only does it keep all those cars off the road, the kids aren't wandering around the streets, they get taken straight to the school gate. Less cars delivering kids to the gate, less car waiting outside the school at 3pm.

They seem to ignore the bigger picture in a lot of cases.

Yakut

Please don't take this the wrong way tiger, but I get a little frustrated at people who are quick to say homeschool, and here is why

IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.

Now in saying that, yes I do homeschool, and and could give you lots of really good reasons why I do, and talk about the change in pulling kids out of school and keeping them at home. But that is not what was asked.

Not homeschooling does not make you a lazy mother, it just means you have a different set of priorities

Pru 2 Getting your own bus, now that sounds like a creative answer to your problem, and I applaud you on your efforts.

I hope it all works out for you and the other parents come to the party in helping with the running and maintenance cost.

Good on you

Too right, KM, agree entirely .

I was just needling Pru2 as I knew she was going to be 'retiring' soon and have lots of spare time on her hands that she was looking forward to having all to herself. Couldn't resist teasing her is all []

Fair enough I can accept that

On the other hand if anyone here was dumb enough to ask me about homeschooling - well I could spount on for hours and hours and I am sure you would all be bored before I was finished.[:0]

God, why would you homeschool when someone else does it for free? I'd go mad. and my horse would never get ridden. I am a lazy mother too!

I know of a few Homeschooling mum's, Kiwismum, and I just ain't cut out for it, I am easily distacted so just would not be a good role model [] []
I applaud you and all those that do it. My son's soccer coach homeschools her 4 sons [:0].
tigger it dawned on me this morning, a lot of "retirees" end up driving school buses.

PRU2;178525 wrote: tigger it dawned on me this morning, a lot of "retirees" end up driving school buses.

I've just had an image of the bubblegum chewing lady bus driver from 'Forrest Gump' [}]