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Board postpones vote on bicycle policy after safety concerns from principals, police and fire
Summary
The board tabled proposed policy 223 (use of bicycles and motor vehicles) until November, following concerns from elementary administrators and local public safety officials about students biking on roads without bike lanes, mixed use sidewalks and dismissal logistics.
The Mount Lebanon Board of School Directors voted on Oct. 20 to postpone consideration of Policy 223, governing the use of bicycles and motor vehicles on school property, after extended discussion and concerns from elementary principals, district administrators and local public safety officials.
Board members and administrators debated whether to allow fourth- and fifth-grade students to ride bicycles to school and whether to set limits by grade or by daylight hours. Dr. Shulo, who met with elementary principals, summarized administrators' concerns: "The safety of kids on bikes for roads that don't have sidewalks for walking, but we are not designed to be a bicycling district without bike lanes," he said, noting additional worries about mixed use of sidewalks, dismissal logistics and staffing to manage new bike zones.
Board members reported that the district's school safety partnership met the same day and that police and fire officials expressed similar safety concerns, particularly about children riding on sidewalks shared with pedestrians. Members also discussed the American Academy of Pediatrics guidance about minimum ages for independent bicycling and the practical enforcement question of using grade levels versus exact ages.
Given the new information and recent input from administrators and public safety partners, the board voted to table the policy change and refer it for additional review and administrative regulation development. The motion to postpone consideration until the November board meeting carried by voice/roll call; board members present voted in favor.
Board members and administrators said the postponement will allow time to craft administrative regulations addressing timing (a proposed March'November daylight period was discussed) and site-specific procedures before returning the policy for adoption.
The board will take up the revised policy at the November meeting; no policy change was adopted on Oct. 20.
