We've all heard about our state's budget crisis and it seems every city in Texas is doing everything it can to make up the deficit. But are those budget cuts really worth the safety of our children? WFAA Channel 8 did a story last night on how budget cuts have affected Keller ISD. Apparently, things are so bad over there that families must pay $300 per semester for their children to ride the bus. The kids that can't afford to pay - well, they have to walk, which has concerned many parents in the area. You see, north Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing parts of the country. As the population exploded developers built more homes and more roads but they didn't build more sidewalks. For the kids that can't afford to ride the bus, there simply aren't enough sidewalks or crosswalks to keep them safe from pedestrian accidents. At Ridgeview Elementary, the students that live across Highway 377 will have to cross the four lane road and a set of railroad tracks without any crossing signals, crosswalks or sidewalks.
As a parent, I can only imagine the worry and stress that's going through the minds of moms and dads who can't afford for their kids to ride the bus. When I read some of the comments on the message board that went along with this story, some people didn't seem to think that not having sidewalks or crosswalks was a big deal - all the kids need to do is be safe. But let me tell you, I have more than 20 years of experience as a personal injury lawyer in Fort Worth and sometimes no matter how safe you are as pedestrian, you can still get hit. With as many people speeding and texting and driving in Texas these days it's only a matter of time before an innocent child walking to school gets seriously hurt.
It's a shame when our governments can't protect our children, but unfortunately it's happened in Keller. Sidewalks are just the beginning; there should be more crosswalks and crossing guards to really make the situation tolerable. It's easy to say that $300 a semester isn't that much money, but for some people it really is. The way I see it, this is just bad planning by the city of Keller and Keller ISD.
