One more reason not to let your kids walk to school...the pigs might get them!

??? what happened to doing your work in school? did they do away with study halls? Backpacks were never seen when we walked 2-3 miles to school.Rain or shine !! Did they do away w/raincoats?

Parents,neighbors,relatives,we need to change our attitudes on plopping down when arriving home in front of the tv! Start small,before you do a thing,before you make an excuse,call your children and go for a walk around your immediate block. Stop to visit with neighbors. Toss a ball around. See natures offerings. But stop making the tv the high-point of your getting home. Start with just 5 minutes of play,slowly go to ten minutes,soon you'll be amazed at how you change. Wishes to all.

if this is such a great idea, then why doesnt everyone who works in the school district , bike or walk to school, even if they dont live in the district they could stop when they hit the school boundaries park and walk. im sure what ever they need to take into work isnt any heavier then the back packs the kids are carrying

HOW ABOUT A NEW SURVEY ALREADY

Fear of crime, definitely! Too much going on right now. I trust my Grandson, but I don't trust others. Things have gotten out of hand. I would rather be over-protective and have my Grandchild still living and safe. And my daughter feels the same.

I have 5 kids in school at Milton, they ride the bus, I would not let them ever walk I dont like them outside in the park, there is a registered sex offender across the street and it was for a child related crime. The police do nothing about it so I will. I wont let the kids my 2 girls, play out front without their older brothers or us with them. The speed limit on our road is of course 25 and they fly down it. We have called Janesville PD so many times in the past 9 years its sick and nobody does anything, until a cop lived across the street then it was all cool and they patroled. I just worry about the sickos out there, times sure are different since I was a kid

I find this discussion interesting. When my daughter was in grade school, she did walk to school which was probably 6-7 blocks total and included crossing Milton Ave. She did that 1st-4th grade. We moved when she was in 5th and so I had to drive her due to the distance (Kept her at same school).
Then when she went to middle school we drove due to distance as well- we had moved into the Milton school district (Janesville address) and could only go to Franklin. Too me that's a little far to walk. But I'd drop her off at a family members' home and she would take the city bus the rest of the way.
The city bus is very easy to use and my daughter didn't mind using it. Even in a pinch when she moved to HS at Craig and couldn't carpool- she would get on the city bus. I do agree that it's silly that non-city kids get free bus service but city kids have to pay to use the city bus.
My daughter is very independant now because I taught her how to be safe- but also how to not depend on me. And yes if she missed the bus- she figured how to get to school even if she ended up late.

I have always driven or walked my children to school because I can. Because on the ride to AND from school are the best times to find out what has happened throughout the day. Sure, in Elementary School I walked to school everyday. I was being watched by a daycare provider in her home. I walked home from school everyday. I did it in all sorts of weather. My parents worked 12 hours a day and didn't have a choice. Once I entered Middle School I rode the bus. (lived in a small farm community)I went through more experiences than I care to share on that bus for three years. My parents COULDN'T. Therefore, I wanted my kids to know I COULD! And that I wanted to. I didn't want myself or them to have any regrets because I couldn't. I am sure they regret my questions everyday, they groan...but when they look back 30 years from now, will they mind? I was bitter about my lost time with my parents. They can grow up bitter cuz I cared to much. :)

I WAS a kid not that long ago. But I DO know that you are NOT toting the ENTIRE American History, World History, History of Mathematics on your back. Sorry.
I have teenagers and have seen the books. They're no bigger than what I had when I was in school.
As a matter of fact, they have less classes than I had. I had 7 classes a day.

Heavy books? Did they get heavier since we were kids? I carried my books and band instrument and gym clothes every day to and from school.

I do not have children is school, but I drive through a school zone I slow down to 15 mph I get honked at and even passed so maybe some of the parents driving kids to school should go back to drivers education classes.

There's enough of a fear issue wiht drug dealers IN the school system as there is with walking these streets. Pretty sad when they worry as much about being accosted to buy heroin as they do about mid-term exams. But, the JSD just needs to feed Cullen another contract, right? Who on the School Board and the City Council is feeding Cullen all this money for additions we did not need? How many millions? Way to go Janesville-what's the purpose of this poll anyway-to cut bussing right?

Heavy backpacks are a real problem for us too. Perhaps the school district could provide online textbooks? What is the cost of that? Without having to lug all those heavy books, maybe more families would be encouraged to walk / bike to school?

I pick up kids everyday from Washington School, walking!!! I agree they are all old enough to walk 2 blocks, unfortunately the cross-walk (no crossing guards)on Oakhill is completely ignored. I stand there along with other parents and numerous children and watch the cars fly by, including police cars! They flat out DO NOT STOP, much less think about slowing down. When the adults in this city show so little concern for the safety and well-being of children, how can parents feel comfortable about their kids walking?
No one in their right mind would want to deal with the insanity of dropping off or picking up a child from any school in the Janesville School district, obviously there is a problem if they feel the need to do so.
I'm both fascinated and saddened by the City's response to the congestion. What an easy out! Stop transporting your children, and there won't be any congestion to complain about. Well, here's a novel idea. . . instead of building a new facility for the buses, use the money to actually provide TRANSPORTATION!
Clearly there are numerous problems in Janesville, not the least of which being the sex offenders that apparently find Janesville very hospitable, otherwise they wouldn't be here.
But even the simple solutions like crossing guards, posting signs,and traffic lights seem to be too much to ask for.
We have a right to expect our children to be safe, and the city has a responsibility to see to it that they are. And until this very basic responsiblity is met with, parents are going to do what they have to, and should be commended for it.

My middle school and high school children have extremely heavy bookbags that are cumbersome and cause pinched nerves when walking up to 2 miles to school.

happycamper: The "freshmen" referred to regarding weight gain are college freshmen, not high schoolers.

Follow up to my comment. Last week a newspaper ran an article on Freshmen and the Freshmen 50 ( the average amount of weight a freshmen will gain), Just two years ago it was the Freshmen 15. It went up 35 pounds in two years!?

I laugh, then shudder, when I see the kids that live one block from Craig getting a ride. I have mentioned to their parents how funny this looks, they reply: the back pack is too heavy, it's going to rain or they didn't get up in time, To walk one block! Freshmen 50 here we come!

Before school daycare. I have to leave early in the morning, so I use Basics at the school. However, with all the crime that has been going on in the neighborhood recently, I don't think I would feel safe allowing it. Not so much in the morning, but definately not in the afternoon.

distance, traffic, weather and crime.

Since when is it a policy not to walk on a country road to get to school? It is not a Milton school policy for sure...

There is a school policy that forbids children from walking or biking to school where we go (It is in a rural area.)

I wouldn't let my child walk to school. I know Janesville is safe but you never know. Some scumbag can snatch a child anywhere!!

Some of you parents that complain that you have to drive you kids to school because of the bad traffic open your eyes. You ARE the traffic. If your child is going to the grade school within your district he or she should not be driven to school you live close enough. If you are concerned about safety then walk with your child. Middle schoolers the same thing. I seem to remember Marshall Middle School being downtown and kids living in the Greenbelt area riding bikes or (and heres a novel idea) taking the bus. For all our high schoolers. If you live within 1 mile radius of the high school you attend and you are getting a ride from your parent or driving try getting up just a little earlier and walking. If you are one of the kids old enough to drive and you are driving to school alone, try carpooling. I have heard all the comments like my kids in sports so I have to drive him or her to school. That's all excuses because as we all did the same activities growing up and I don't remember this many kids getting dropped off at school by parents. We all walked, biked, or bused to grade school or middle school. While in high school the number of kids that drove wasn't even close to what it is now. If you lived withing walking distance to school, at any age, you walked. Still did your sports practice and then walked home. Parents we all need to step up to the plate here to fix this problem.

I would rather over protect my child than let something happen. At 6 years old Im not going to have them walk 6+ blocks to school. I see how people drive. Not to mention I have the time to walk with her to school on nice days and I see how other kids behave.

We are about 6-8 blocks, and, my kids walk with 4 other neighbor kids. There are so many kids that walk, and, parents that walk to meet them that I think the kids are safe on their way home. We walk at the beginning of each school year and talk about safety, where to run, what to do, etc in case of emergency. Luckily, there are at least a couple of houses on every block of the route that have parents that would be home and that we know.

Wow. Talk about over protection. I am amazed at how many people actually don't allow their kids to go to school on foot. Anything more than 3 miles is rough, I agree. But less than that and parents freak out completely. How could I possibly let my child experience life without me? Stop babying them and let them gain some independence. If parents have taught their kids to look both ways before crossing the street, and to not talk to strangers, they should be OK to walk to school alone and in a tough neighborhood. Honestly, Janesville is a great place in any neighborhood compared to where I'm from. And if you live more than 3 miles from the school your children attend, they offer transportation at no cost (last I knew).

Traffic danger, even with crossing guards, there are only there a certain amount of time before and after school. If you are late, you have to use your own judgment, and wait even longer just to cross. And if you come out late after school, the guards are gone. Most of the time kids stay late to get help or to practice extra curriculars, or they have to serve some detention time. Everyone drives way to fast all over town no matter what district their in and not many people give pedestrians the right of way, especially little pedestrians who are hard to see because your chatting on a cell phone, playing with the radio and driving a car instead of paying attention to what your doing.

home schooled.

Too much traffic, weather, crime, distance and too many nuts out there stalking kids as well as some older kids who harass smaller children. No way my child under the age of 12 is walking to school. And it's not a bunch of lazy parents raising lazy kids either - what a dumb-ass comment.

when my daughter is in middle school the only way she will get to school is to walk by herself or with friends but since she is 8 years old (HELL NAW!!!) I only live half a mile from her school and I will NEVER let her walk or ride a bike by herself to dangerous out there for little ones, I will do it with her until she is old enough to not look so easygoing and trusting sooo until then I guess she will keep gettin' her lazy on...

How true emmo!

"What deters your children from walking/biking to school?"
Is it fat, lazy parents who are raising fat, lazy kids?

RichE95: I agree with you on the admin at Lincoln. No wonder why her studer report was near the worst in the JSD.

We can't have chubby little cherubs walking to school. Our school's spent huge amounts to enhance drop off's - the police warn of "stranger danger" and now they wonder why kids don't walk or bike. Let's spend $20,000 to find out why. And surprise, the most dangerous driver's around the schools are parents dropping off or picking up kids. Take a trip down Oakhill in front of Lincoln School. All streets in front of the school are yellow curbed to prevent drop offs. The front door of the school is locked and entry is by the back doors. Parents park on the crest of the hill and their kids run across the street where oncoming traffic doesn't see them. I called the Lincoln Principal and she brushed me off. Lincoln presents some of the greatest danger and has the most uncooperative administration.

Most children now days choose to ride because they're just plain lazy! We didn't have a choice years ago and now we cater to their every wim. I wonder why kids today are out of shape after spending half the day sitting in front of the TV or video game console?

We live in the country and there are no side walks,so I drive. There is a school bus, but due to the time that my kid would have to be up at in the morning just to get on a bus and ride it just to get to school and have 30 minutes of waiting outside BEFORE there is any supervision is not a option I am willing to do.Besides after I drop off the kid, I then head to do my errands and work. It is not a wasted trip.
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And yes the idea of soooo many registered sex offenders in the area (not too mention the ones we don't know about), and the many reports of sleaze bags enticing children (some from their own yard) I do want to protect my kid, even if it means I have to drive. It is something so little that I can do, that could actually save her life.
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IMHO, Just think of the reaction a parent would get if they sent their child off to school and something god for bid did happen...there would be a out cry from some of these very people who are condemning driving kids to school. In stead they would be questioning why didn't the parent do something more to protect their child, that the parent should have been more responsible and driven their child to school to make sure they arrived safely. Just can't win I guess.
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P.S. to the poster who said buy bike locks...that is a joke, I know of a few kids whose bikes were stolen and they cut the locks off. whoever would do that to a little 3rd grader is a a$$ and these days most parents I know can't afford to go out and just buy a new bike.

I dont think that my child is old enough to walk to school on her own yet.

Bucky try a bike lock. Fear of crime probably refers to bike jacking.

I agree with you chelleandlou. We don't live that far from school but, I feel better knowing that my kids are there safely and on time. There are way too many things to worry about early in the morning when kids walk.

There are several reasons. First off, I live on Woodlane, my daughter goes to Franklin MS (it's nearly 5 miles). Secondly, I don't think it's safe, she would think it is cuz she's a kid and doesn't know any better. Third, I prefer to know for a fact she's at school and on time. Traffic is horrible around school zones no one slows down or stops for the kids. Traffic outside of school zones is even worse (40-50 mph at least)

Fear of Crime = Vandalism or theft of bike