Parent asks board for medical exemption to allow daughter on neighborhood bus; district to investigate

A Sicklerville parent told the Winslow Township Board of Education on Sept. 24 that his family needs a bus exemption to allow his kindergarten daughter to take a neighborhood bus stop about 15 feet from their house.

Tristan Willis said his wife is blind and an elder living with them has dementia, making walking to school four times a day impractical. He said he'd contacted district transportation before school started and was told their daughter would not be allowed on the bus because state law does not require busing for students who live within a two-mile radius of their school. Willis said he was told by district staff that the child could not be added to a route because of that rule and asked whether a medical exemption or "medical chit" could be issued so his daughter could ride the neighbor's bus stop.

A district representative said they heard Mr. Willis and would look into the matter. The board noted that courtesy busing for students within two miles is not required by state law and that district policy and budgetary constraints commonly limit such routes. The board asked staff to follow up and said it would confer with the interim superintendent and assistant superintendent and respond to the parent.

During the exchange, Mr. Willis also raised a concern that many local riders listed for a stop were marked as special-education riders; he said neighbors who ride the same bus are not listed as special-education and asked staff to check the accuracy of routes and listings. The board said staff would follow up and contact the parent.

Ending: The board asked Mr. Willis to provide his contact information and said staff would investigate the possibility of an exception or other practical solutions and reply to the family.