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Parent warns cutting magnet transportation would limit access and strain neighborhoods
Summary
A parent of a magnet student told the board that proposed cuts to magnet transportation would create safety and equity problems and urged the board to preserve bus service in the budget.
Andrew Benson, a parent of a magnet school student, told the board he opposes any cuts to magnet transportation and urged the board to fully fund the service in the FY26 spending plan.
Benson said removing bus routes would force many families to drive, increasing unsafe traffic at residential school sites where car lines already stretch blocks. He said half his school's student body comes from outside the immediate neighborhood and that converting bus riders to car riders would exacerbate traffic and pedestrian safety issues.
Benson also raised equity concerns: magnet schools draw students from across the county, and cutting transportation would make those programs less accessible to families without reliable personal transportation. He described long current commute days for some students, with children leaving home early and returning late, and warned that cutting buses would send a “very clear message” that those students are not a priority.
No formal budget vote occurred during the public‑comment period. Benson urged the board to adopt a budget that “keeps Magnet transportation intact” and to avoid cuts to nurses, social workers and other student‑facing staff.
