The Kids Are Safer Now

At last a crucial playing field has been leveled.

According to New York State law, every child, regardless of the type of school he or she attends, is entitled to state funded transportation to and from school. However, this funding comes with numerous stipulations; amongst them is that it only pays for students traveling between certain hours.

Those children, who for any of a host of reasons, leave school after 4:00 p.m. were deemed ineligible for state transportation. In the winter when many of the students get dismissed in the dark, this is a very serious issue of safety.

Concerned parents were left with the difficult choice of undertaking an additional financial burden in order to provide alternative means of transportation, or worrying about finding someone to take care of their other children as they personally go pick up their school-age sons and/or daughters every single day.

Fortunately New York State law-makers have now finally addressed this potentially dangerous inequity. Last week the legislature passed  and Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law a transportation bill that amends this rule and allows for all eligible students including those who choose to stay late for extra studies to be transported home in a safe way.

This bill will no doubt prove to be of help to children and families in communities and sectors across the state, including those who attend yeshivos and day schools, as well as students in public schools who stay for later sessions.

We commend both houses of the New York State Legislature for passing this just law and the governor for signing it. In particular we thank Senate Majority Leader Dan Skelos and Senator Simcha Felder for their efforts to get it passed in the state senate, and Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assemblymember Helene Weinstein and Assemblyman Dov Hikind for their efforts in the House.

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