We need to talk about what San Diego Unified School District is doing to parents who are too poor to pay for buses. A truly shameful policy has been implemented that requires parents to pay a hefty transportation fee ($500 per student), but also imposes late fees and the risk being sent to collections if the fees are not paid on time. This is unacceptable. All parents should ask the district to rescind this shameful policy and stop all collection activity at the risk of being sued.
The Department of Transportation and Superintendent can be reached at the numbers below:
4710 Cardin St.
San Diego, CA 92111
(858) 496-8460
Office of the Superintendent
4100 Normal Street, Room 2219
San Diego, CA 92103
619-725-5506
If the district transportation division is unresponsive or unwilling to review this terrible practice, the San Diego Unified Board of Education should intervene to stop this policy immediately and reverse the charges made to these parents.
The policy recently came under scrutiny when a local paper uncovered records showing that some 380 families have already been negatively affected by this policy. Parents are required by law to enroll their kids in school. It is not optional. Transportation can be challenging for poor families who may not have a family vehicle. These families should not be taxed because they are less fortunate and forced to pay fees for a public service like school buses, and they most certainly should not be charged outrageous fees if they can’t afford the original $500 charge! Districts should not be doing this to its parents. We will also be sharing this piece with legislators to ask for a state law prohibiting districts from this practice. Please reach out to your local representatives as well as the superintendent and the transportation officials at the numbers posted above and let them know your thoughts on this unjust implementation of a poor tax on needy families in the San Diego Unified School District.
We are all in this together with you. We want to be a resource for you and for all of the children you love. Whether you need some info or you have info to share, you know where to go…LA Comadre.
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