Are You Against Walking to School?

Recently when reading an article in The Wall Street Journal, I came across the story of big cities trying to persuade people to use public transportation in 2020. While reading, I couldn't help but think about all the families having the same conversations about school buses.

Many people do not want to use school buses until vaccines are more widely deployed or until there are more effective testing regimes in place. But then there are others who have no choice but to send their children on a bus.

This scenario reminded me of my own story in Raleigh, NC. We had recently purchased a home that the school board had assigned to an elementary school that neighborhood children walked to. Unfortunately, between the time that we purchased the home and the time our children began to attend the local school, our neighborhood was reassigned to a school that was farther away and required a bus ride each morning and afternoon. 

Especially in today’s environment, if there is a school within walking distance of a child’s home, shouldn’t it be an option? With childhood obesity on the rise and with the mental health benefits of exercise for children, and the environmental benefits for mankind, allowing people to walk, run, or ride a bike to work or school seemed like an excellent policy even pre-pandemic. But now when families are not feeling comfortable with public transportation and when some districts point to avoiding the spread of disease on busses as a major reason for keeping schools closed, allowing students to attend a nearby and walkable school seems like a no-brainer.