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Parents tell Rapid City school board a 1.3-mile bus stop and 6:30 a.m. pickup pose safety risks
Summary
Two parents and other commenters urged the Rapid City Area School District 51-4 board to change a bus stop that requires a child to walk about 1.3 miles, citing early morning darkness and winding roads; board members said the district has held multiple community meetings and is working on routing but acknowledged the concern.
At the start of a Rapid City Area School District 51-4 study session public comment period, two residents urged the board to move an assigned bus stop they said forces their child to walk about 1.3 miles in pre-dawn darkness and on winding roads.
Aaron Liddebo told the board his child’s assigned pickup would require the child to wait at 6:30 a.m. and walk roughly 1.3 miles, a trek he estimated at about 28 minutes. “I don't care about dollars and cents. I care about the safety of my child,” Liddebo said, and he proposed smaller 15-passenger vans or recruiting existing staff to drive shorter routes to reduce long walks.
William Wagner also called for more community engagement and criticized the board’s pace on facility and routing issues. Wagner asked for town-hall meetings so more parents could participate and pushed the board to prioritize safety and working conditions for teachers alongside facility repairs.
Board members responded during a scheduled board-response portion of the meeting. President Troy Carr and trustees emphasized the district’s ongoing outreach. Carr said the board often “flies at 30,000 feet,” describing the board’s role in setting policy while staff handle operational details. Trustee Katie Urban said the district has held multiple public meetings on buses and facilities. “We had over 6 public meetings last year,” Urban said, and she noted those sessions informed the facilities study and route work. Trustee Christine Stephenson said district policy generally does not provide bus service for students who live within 2.5 miles of their school unless they must cross a major thoroughfare.
District staff were cited as having been directed previously to prioritize consistent routes; trustee speakers said that directive was given to district routing staff and acknowledged no situation is perfect. Liddebo asked for a meeting with staff so his family could pursue possible routing or stop changes; the board said it would continue outreach and encouraged residents to use meetings and the district’s communications channels.
Clarifying details from the speakers: Liddebo characterized the walk as about 28 minutes and 1.3 miles each way and said the child’s afternoon arrival time under the current schedule is 4:12 p.m. (as stated in public comment). Stephenson said the district’s practice is not to bus within 2.5 miles unless a major thoroughfare crossing is involved. Board members urged continued dialogue and noted committees already working on buses, air conditioning and facility improvements.
The district did not take formal action on routing at the meeting; board members said staff will continue to work on operational responses and community outreach. Commenters and trustees suggested holding additional public forums to capture broader parent input.
