Student Violates School Policy…By Riding Bike to School

By Amber Ortega on October 2nd, 2009

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Adam Marino, 12, and his mother, Janette Kaddo Marino of Saratoga Springs, New York have been told they are violating school district policies by riding their bikes to school. The two ride their bikes nearly four miles each way, to and from school on good weather days. They have been told on numerous occasions by both school officials and police officers to not ride their bikes because of the dangers on Route 9. But Janette and Adam continue to ride their bikes. Janette states, “I guess you can say that we continue to do what we feel is our right. We feel strongly we have a right to get to school by a mode of transportation we deem appropriate.”  The school district is beginning to look at changing the policy to allow students to bike to school with the supervision of an adult.

The mother and son are a part of a growing population that would prefer children to ride bikes to school and get exercise instead of sitting on a bus. I completely agree with this.  Kids need to be out and getting exercise, but what about their safety?  The school Adam attends, Maple Avenue Middle School, is on busy Route 9.  There are safety issues with children riding their bikes with cars speeding next to them.

Although it would be great if students were supervised by an adult while riding to school, but being a stay at home mother, I know this would not happen often enough.  Many children are left to fend for themselves in the mornings.  Of the twenty children in our neighborhood that ride the bus, only three have parents at home when they leave in the morning.  If children were able to ride their bikes to school, they would end up taking their bikes without anyone to watch after and ensure they are safe.

Going green and biking instead of driving to school is a wonderful idea, but I don’t know if it is feasible in all situations.  When stay at home parents, like Linda Synder try to watch children before school to supervise them for working parents, they are told they can not by the state.  If she were able to watch the kids, they could all ride their bikes together, all being supervised.  It would be some what of a bike-pool to school.  The state can step in and put a stop to so many children being watched in the home, which goes back to step one, the kids riding their bikes without supervision.

Kudos to Adam and Janette for going green and standing up for what they believe in.  Unfortunately, this option may not be the best choice in all cases.