Superior Parents Walk to Raise Awareness for Bus Concerns

SUPERIOR, WI - Wisconsin state law does not mandate transportation options for students who live within a two-mile radius of their respective schools."That is just ludicrous, that is so scary," said Carmen Keeler, who is calling for a change. Keeler continued, "I just strongly feel that all the elementary students need to be bussed. If they need a ride, that ride should be available by the school district for them. The little ones, they can't fight off potential dangers out there, even as far as crossing these busy roads. The little ones really need to be bussed.” To raise awareness of this issue, concerned parents and citizens gathered at the Superior Kmart, where they would begin their two–mile walk to and from Superior High School, in protest of this stipulation. “That's how far five-year-old and six-year-old kids have to walk in the extreme cold weather,” explained Jamie Goodiel, the mother of a seven-year-old and twelve-year-old who live within the two-mile radius. Many children in Superior who do live within that two-mile radius battle below freezing temperatures and other dangerous circumstances walking to and from school each day, as they are left with no other option. “Last year we had seventy-three days that were below zero weather, over 100 inches of snow,” explained Keeler. “There's also offenders, and there's a lot of them in the area where the children are not being bussed.” Because of dangers like these, Jim Goodiel wakes up and walks his seven and twelve–year–old daughters to school each and every morning. "Cause it's dangerous,” he stated. “Plain and simple, It's just dangerous. I want to be there to protect them." State law does allow individual districts to vote and overturn this law to provide bussing for all students. And concerned parents across Superior hope change comes sooner rather than later. “It's sad to think that something has to happen before people realize, 'Hey, something has to happen here,’" Jim Goodiel admitted. “And I don't want a child to be hurt or killed because they couldn't get bussing.” With the cold temperatures and busy streets, parents marched in conditions that mimicked those that elementary students must brave every day on their way to school.