There are several homeless families who used to live in Wicomico County who have relocated to other counties AND states. Did you know that by state law, YOU the taxpayer, (GET THIS) are paying to bus these children from ANNAPOLIS, DOVER, WILMINGTON, SEAFORD, EASTON, OCEAN CITY, MILSBORO, GEORGETOWN and other outlying areas!
While this has been brought up by the Board of Ed and the County Council, the BOE continues to operate this function/service. They actually send buses and vans all the way to Annapolis and all other mentioned areas every morning and drive them home after school.
Now this is just plain ridiculous. I'd suggest to ALL of you that you contact your legislators, (including Governor Hogan) and tell them we'll not stand for this any more.
Did you also know that the County recently purchased 17 brand new buses at more than $100,000.00 a piece. NO ONE can figure out where they got the money from, seriously. The BOE claims that there are some bus routes in which the private drivers can't make money, yet it is the BOE who designates who gets what route. So their answer is, buy their own buses. If you're not following this close enough, know that the BOE will eventually eliminate ALL of the private drivers/owners as they are slowly building up their fleet.
It's high time the Board starts being accountable for their actions. It's also high time our representatives relocate these children to schools where they LIVE.
47 comments:
I should add, what parent would want their children traveling twice a day from these mentioned areas. Are there seat belts in these vehicles and do they make sure, (if available) these kids are strapped in? The law is stupid and needs to be changed. The next time you meet a Liberal, tell them what you think of this law.
Not to mentioned the insurance costs for EACH bus!!
And then the upkeep, fuel, salaries of bus drivers!
Where so we find this state law? Would love to read it.
In all the years I have been running Salisbury News, I have NEVER seen such a post like this come to such a halt in comments.
I am receiving phone calls asking, is this really true? Let me assure each and every one of you, all of this information is 100% factual, confirmed by THREE elected officials.
Perhaps people are simply in awe or just in shock, I don't know. I can also say that our traffic already this morning is about what we'd get on a normal week day, (FOR THE ENTIRE DAY). So it's not traffic.
Anyhow, the post is here for your reaction to this amazing news.
Doesn't anyone have any control over the purse strings for the WBOED? Ole Freddy is gonna retire and leave the county flat busted!
Idiots abound...STILL.
Seriously, How do you rate this on a scale of 1-10. Do you wonder just a bit why we just gave Egypt 2 Billion Dollars. Why are we making deals with Iran and now Cuba, seriously.
Can this info be verified? If so, the public needs to know more and how long have taxpayers been paying for this?
what idiot would send their child to wicomico public schools when they had the opportunity to let their child go to school in easton or naptown?
cambridge or delmar I could see but easton and naptown? dumb!
10:05, I just stated above I confirmed it with THREE elected officials. Call your County Executive or Council Members. They will instantly confirm this information to be 100% correct.
Increasing the stipend for private bus contractors who agree to take the less profitable routes would have solved the problem. No, the tactic is to stand firm on denying contractors but spend millions of getting into the bus business. Wasn't someone employed in transportation just to oversee the new buses purchased by the board? That was in addition to the other transportation employees.
Solution: eliminate busing entirely. The concept was conceived in the 20's and 30's to get the rural children to school. It is now the 21st century. Most families have at least one vehicle and more or less two. They can get to school without busing. Secondly, when school is cancelled due to snow, how do all the kids get to the Elks Club to sled or the mall? On snow days there is no bus service.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKinney–Vento_Homeless_Assistance_Act
The homeless bussing thing is federal law.
Go to the link and find the section that reads "homeless children and education" which states:
The original federal Act, known as simply as the McKinney Act, provided little protection for homeless children in the area of public education. As a result, the State of Illinois passed the Illinois Education for Homeless Children Act, which was drafted by Joseph Clary, an attorney and advocate for the Illinois Coalition to End Homelessness. Clary then worked with national advocates to ensure that the protections afforded to homeless children by the Illinois statute were incorporated into the McKinney Act. At that point, the McKinney Act was amended to become the McKinney-Vento Act. That Act uses the Illinois statute in defining homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.” The Act then goes on to give examples of children who would fall under this definition:
(a) Children sharing housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing;
(b) Children living in “motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations”
(c) Children living in “emergency or transitional shelters”
(d) Children “awaiting foster care placement”
(e) Children whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc.)
(f) Children living in “cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations…”
Following the Illinois statute, the McKinney-Vento Act also ensures homeless children transportation to and from school free of charge, allowing children to attend their school of origin (last school enrolled or the school they attended when they first became homeless) regardless of what district the family resides in. It further requires schools to register homeless children even if they lack normally required documents, such as immunization records or proof of residence. To implement the Act, States must designate a statewide homeless coordinator to review policies and create procedures, including dispute resolution procedures, to ensure that homeless children are able to attend school. Local school districts must appoint Local Education Liaisons to ensure that school staff are aware of these rights, to provide public notice to homeless families (at shelters and at school) and to facilitate access to school and transportation services.[11]
To the EBT Blogger who keeps sending in comments that say, "BS", first of all, pick up the phone and ask your representative. Oh, that's right, you don't confirm anything, hence our Rumors and Lies posts. Secondly, did you ever wonder WHY people contact you about stupid information/articles? Because you are a bottom feeder desperate to be me.
Give it a day or two and maybe, just maybe the rest of the media will expose this information. However, you know how your local Liberal Media covers up just about anything and everything when it comes to the Board of Education. And that my friends is WHY you haven't heard it elsewhere.
In addition, it states, "The McKinney-Vento Act is a conditional funding act which means that the federal government gives grants to states and, in return, the grantee states are bound by the terms of the act. If a state chooses not to accept federal funds for these purposes, it does not have to implement the act.". However after being sued in 2002, the state of Maryland really has been the one to push this on the counties.
Thank you 10:23 for posting the law. A ton of these things come from Federal mandates. Homeless children are required to have access to education. Unfortunately homelessness means people move around a lot...hence they are homeless. The key thing here is to verify that WCBOE is actually doing this at this time. Typically social services or a school social worker will get involved to help make sense of it all.
People are probably not posting because at this point the ridiculousness of how the BOE functions just leaves one speechless.
I'm all for the county having their own buses. They need to eliminate private owners. The transportation for homeless out of state and county is ludicrous.
at all levels; government sucks. they are clueless. and the BOE should be ashamed. we are living week to week and to see the government waste on a continual basis is disgusting at best. this must stop. don't just complain; CALL your reps. Today.
Thanks 10:23 for providing the detail on this law. As to an earlier comment about telling a liberal what you think of this law, it's interesting to discover that this act was a bi-partisan affair. McKinney a Republican and Vento a Democrat. Also signed into law by one of our greatest Republican Presidents, Ronald Reagan.
More reason for an elected board of education! It appears that the private bus contractors are being screwed without even a kiss. Another prime example of taxation without representation.
I'm guessing that private bus owners cover their expenses and clear $200 - $500 per week. More if they are owner/operators.
$500 x 17 busses might be $300k annually. It might be cheaper to own the vehicles. The drivers might be getting better benefits, too.
Without knowing the math, it's not a good idea to pass judgement.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Can this info be verified? If so, the public needs to know more and how long have taxpayers been paying for this?
July 29, 2015 at 10:05 AM
Did you watch the work session last week between the CC and the BOE? I believe it was discussed at that meeting.
Anonymous said...
Increasing the stipend for private bus contractors who agree to take the less profitable routes would have solved the problem. No, the tactic is to stand firm on denying contractors but spend millions of getting into the bus business. Wasn't someone employed in transportation just to oversee the new buses purchased by the board? That was in addition to the other transportation employees.
July 29, 2015 at 10:11 AM
Let me make one thing clear! Are you paying attention everyone please pay attention!! It has nothing to do with "profitable routes." Do I make myself clear it has nothing to do with "PROFITABLE ROUTES."
The problem is that the bus drivers are sick and tired of dealing with kids in the ghetto. Do you hear me I said GHETTO. They are sick and tired of driving ghetto routes in Salisbury and dealing with all the thugettes including thug parents. Church Street, et al. they are the routes the bus drivers refuse to take.
The problem is that the amount of homeless children has risen by at least double in the past 10 years. This article from 2012 explains this data wise: http://wjla.com/news/local/maryland-student-homeless-rates-doubled-in-5-years--71731
This may be due to the recession and also the definition of homelessness which has changed over time.
The stigma of homelessness seems to have lessened too, possibly due to many factors not withstanding the increase in heroin addiction.
http://features.dbknews.com/2015/05/08/marylands-hidden-epidemic/
Anonymous said...
I'm all for the county having their own buses. They need to eliminate private owners. The transportation for homeless out of state and county is ludicrous.
July 29, 2015 at 11:33 AM
I agree with you on this. In the long run it would be cheaper for the County BOE to stay in the busing business.
One thing that people fail to understand is the fact that the County BOE subsidizes every bus that is bought by the "private contractor."
Did you understand that?? We SUBSIDIZE every bus bought by private contractors. WE, YOU, OUR tax dollars.
OK, Daily Times, put out a front page article on this since you still have some readers left!
Anonymous said...
I'm guessing that private bus owners cover their expenses and clear $200 - $500 per week. More if they are owner/operators.
$500 x 17 busses might be $300k annually. It might be cheaper to own the vehicles. The drivers might be getting better benefits, too.
Without knowing the math, it's not a good idea to pass judgement.
July 29, 2015 at 3:29 PM
It is better off for the county to own the buses. The drivers are demanding more pay and benefits now.
Anonymous said...
More reason for an elected board of education! It appears that the private bus contractors are being screwed without even a kiss. Another prime example of taxation without representation.
July 29, 2015 at 2:30 PM
Seriously! Please explain how the bus contractors are getting screwed?
Isn't it wonderful that bus contractors can refuse to transport a student but that same student can turn a classroom upside down, hurt other children and the classroom teacher can't do anything about it. Administration refuses to do anything about it!
Joe, I'm sorry for using all caps, but I'm really pissed about this and want it to stop. If we must bus these homeless children, why not in our own areas not outside of our living areas?
ANOTHER REASON TO HAVE AN ELECTED BOARD OF EDUCATION
Owning the buses will be a money pit! Seen it in other districts.
Cost of vehicles, garaging, security, mechanics, parts, fuel purchase and hedging, fuel theft ala public works, drivers on payroll, benefits, pension costs, etc.
Currently it is a contracted out service that does get some subsidies.
Look before you leap!!
Not to mention when a family comes here from a foreign country, we were told if they do not have housing in their name, we are to classify them as homeless. 9 times out of 10 foreign families live together to save money to send to their home country so more illegals can come over. This also includes the migrant families who CHOOSE to live that way.
Been going on for years. I'm suprised it's just now coming out. Ask any Pupil Personal Worker at BOE.
Been going on for years. I'm suprised it's just now coming out. Ask any Pupil Personal Worker at BOE. And they are picking up kids in their own cars too. Not just buses. What kind of liability is that?!
Why is this a BOE problem? They are following a federal law. The problem is the law, not the BOE.
Exactly 6:10 PM... That's why the crime rate is so high in this country. Criminals have more rights than tax paying, law abiding citizens.
6:34 are you for real!!! You idiots keep whining about an elected school board but you fail to understand that the Board members don't micromanage like that!
6:43 you are to dumb to understand that bus contractors will have the same expenses as you mentioned and the cost is still paid by the BOE. Do you actually think the contractors are going to do it for free! By the way the buses don't need to be in a garage.
Duh! That's what Joe is trying to say!
Union bus drivers mind you.
If these children move from our area to out of county, then they are not homeless. They are moving somewhere and should have an address there which should determine which school they are assigned to in that locality. They talk about how overcrowded our schools are, so they should not be educating any out of county kids.
FYI check out the after school programs, the food provided is prepared and delivered DAILY from BALTIMORE to different schools as far south as Crisfield? If taxpayers only knew how money is grossly mismanaged!!
They are!
So true!
I thought the law meant that if a child in the Pemberton school district becomes homeless and winds up in a shelter in the North Salisbury district, transportation will be provided back to Pemberton so the child doesn't have to change schools. I had no idea if a Pemberton child moves to Annapolis, he is transported to and from Pemberton every day. That can't be possible.
Joe, didnt you post a picture of a Wicomico County bus speeding in upper Maryland awhile ago with no kids on it? How can the County take on such a liability let alone the cost?
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