Posted on 10/20/2019 9:39:04 AM PDT by rickmichaels
As a kindergarten student in 1977, I set out every morning into the vastness of North Toronto. Having been ditched by my older brother at the first hill (he had a reputation to maintain), I would join dozens of other neighbourhood kids on the migration to school.
We walked – or biked – not to be virtuous or to make a statement or to get a sticker when we got there, but because it was the obvious thing to do.
A generation later, this seems like pure nostalgia. According to Ontario’s transit agency Metrolinx, the percentage of 11- to 13-year-old students walking to school within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area nearly halved between 1986 and 2016, while the number of kids being driven in cars has nearly tripled. The trend is consistent across the country; the national non-profit organization Participaction estimates that a mere fifth of Canadian school children now exclusively walk or bike to school. Cars are poised to become the prime mode of school transport.
Does it really matter? It’s just a trip to school. Times millions of children, times hundreds of days a year.
At the very least, it’s a lost opportunity: the imposition of adult logic – finding the fastest way from A to B – on newcomers to the world, who are much more interested in the puddles, people, plants and pretty much everything else that exists in between.
But the en masse decision to drive to school is also a problem. It diminishes the functionality of our cities (trips to school make up a fifth of morning rush-hour traffic in Toronto) the quality of the air and our claim to be taking climate change seriously. It is, in very real terms, bad for our kids.
(Excerpt) Read more at theglobeandmail.com ...
Traffic and perverts.
When did this happen?
Two reasons - helicopter parents and busing.
At our elementary school, fifth and sixth graders served as crossing guards including a four-lane major highway.
I was the captain of the group and had no daily adult supervision.
We had belts, badges, capes and helmets. And we raised and lowered the US and state flag each day.
Expanding the taxpayer funded work force.
Wouldn’t be as much traffic if it wasn’t for moms driving their kids to school, and there have always been paedos, we just used to trust kids to have the common sense not to go into cars with strangers.
the pervert part is pure fallousy. Propagated by TV and the news sensationalized reporting of a very rare crime. yes it happens but millions of kids DON’T get abducted everyday. Getting hit by a dumbass speeding and texting is more likely. which is why The law needs to come down harder on texting and driving. and speeding in residential areas.
Yep.
Also, liability/litigation.
No, parental fear of traffic and perverts.
The same reason why kids aren't allowed to play alone at the park anymore.
An irrational fear of a pervert snatching the unsuspecting young 'un from the swing set.
Now the buses seem to stop at every house - what's up with that?
Local news never lead with the national news so much as they do today. People were far more interested in what Main Street was doing that what was happening across the country. That was not so interesting. Now with cable news 24/7, crime every where, becomes crime next door. This causes panic everywhere. News covers all the dangers of the world, if not crime, then the accidents that can occur. Little Johnny or Janey got hit by a car SOMEWHERE on his or her way to school. We now live in a constant state of dread for our families, that something will happen to our children if they are not under our, or someones’, constant supervision. It’s highly unlikely that it would or even could happen to our own children, but why take even the slightest chance?
Now, people are buying bulletproof backpacks for their children lest they be shot down by a school shooting. Absurd, but that is the constant state of dread engendered by constant drumbeat of too much propaganda news.
Ditto here as well.
I think the forced unconstitutional bussing changed the mindset of a lot of people. Luckily, I was forced for only one grade.
You live in a fantasy world.
What good times we had. Odd how I dont remember either the rain or snow. I even rode my bike home for lunch. Wonderful is was. What good times and warm memories.
We rode bikes to school every day, starting in first grade. You’d never try that on the same streets today, traffic too heavy and dangerous.
Going to high school in the 50’s in Dubuque, Iowa there were no freaking school buses. Walked, biked, or hitched a ride. Farm kids further out could legally drive to/from school at 14. Now, the wretched school buses are everywhere at taxpayers real estate tax expense.
Made it through to young adulthood in very good physical, emotional and mental shape.
And my kids did even better --- as homeschoolers-on-wheels who ranged the city!
Enough said.
Preverts.
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