Doyle Murphy at the Times Herald-Record reports on November 24 that "Newburgh parents' group plans Dec. 5 protest of city's school-busing policy". (Of course, it is more correctly the "Board of Education's school-busing policy".)

A parents' group has planned a march to schools in hopes of winning back busing for kids from the city.

The Newburgh School District enforced a policy this year to bus only elementary students who live farther than 0.9 miles, and secondary students who live more than a mile from school.

State law requires busing for all students who live outside the city limits, so the policy affects only city residents.

Some parents have complained that the policy is unfair and unsafe. A group of them formed Safety for Community Youth and have invited school board members, city officials, parents and students to walk to several schools with them on Dec. 5.

The group plans to meet at 7:15 a.m. at Delano-Hitch Recreation Center, 401 Washington St.

Apparently all students in the Town of Newburgh are eligible for transportation to school. All students in the Town of New Windsor are also eligible. In the City of Newburgh only students living further than .9 miles (or 1 mile for secondary) are eligible.

On May 15 of 2007 the following propostion was voted upon as part of the annual Newburgh School District Board of Education election, and budget vote:

Proposition III -- Student Transportation Limits:

Shall the Newburgh Enlarged City School District change the current transportation limits of 0.9 for students in grades K-6 and 1.0 mile for students in grades 7-12, and provide transportation to all students in grades K-12 to the school they legally attend, up to 18 miles, effective the 2007-2008 school year, at an additional cost of $1,015,632 for the 2007-2008 school year?

The voting results indicate 1,009 votes in favor and 1,299 votes against this proposition.

This proposition was poorly written and deceptive.

The proposition has two main points, that current transportation limits be changed and that transportation be provided to all. The proposition does not explain whether the transportation limits are to be increased or decreased or by how much; it merely states that they are to be changed. The proposition does not explain whether the "up to 18 miles" limit is a change or not.

The proposition is deceptive in this way--suppose that you are completely happy with the school transportation arrangements in effect during the prior school year and you don't want to see anything changed. Which way do you vote? You would expect that voting against the proposition to "change the current transportation limits" would be a vote to keep things as they are, but that is not the case.

The proposition failed to make clear that in prior years, the district was already providing transportation to students residing closer to school than the minimum distance. The "additional cost" was already being paid in prior years.

In summary, the proposition asked the public to vote about a change. However, neither the current situation nor the nature of the change were specified. The proposition included the current minimum transport distance, which was not being enforced, and it included a proposed maximum transport distance. No explanation of how or which of these limits was to be changed was given.

Why does this matter?

According the this June 2008 press release this school year the minimum distance will be enforced for students in the City of Newburgh. Letters are apparently in the mail to affected families in the City of Newburgh. September 4 is the first day of school.