Recently I was talking with a parent of a SPED student about the GRAVE fears I have about the FEDERAL direction of EDUCATION in particularly in regards to certain GUARANTEED services. Whileshe shared the concern, she felt, "Hey we're in MA, we are safe from all that".
Sadly, I did not share that optimism. SPED services ARE expensive and a reduction in them and the protections they provide are easy targets. ase in point from a BOSTON GLOBE article on 3/15:
The MBTA is federally required to provide door-to-door service within
certain areas around bus and subway stops, but currently provides, for a
higher price, trips that go beyond those areas through The Ride. The
MBTA proposal would eliminate trips that are three-fourths of a mile
away from bus and subways stops, affecting areas in a dozen suburbs,
including Concord, Topsfield, and Medfield.
Cuts to The Ride would affect about 8,000 people and more than 200,000 trips, the MBTA estimated.
The
Ride’s expense has made it a frequent target of budget cuts. The board
has met with advocates to study ways to reduce costs and recently
implemented a program using Uber and Lyft rides to supplement service.
There is no debate about the expense. However I think it is a matter of CIVIL RIGHTS but hey I am maybe not completely objective here. It's not so much I mind the argument, it's the hypocrisy, it's the failure to confront the issue and say what is really happening. It would be interesting to know our REPUBLICAN Mayor who IS a former RIDE driver and Chair of the LSC opinion is on this matter, It may well be a harbinger of her stance on cuts to federal aid and direction on education matters. These fears are behind my unwillingness to support the building of new schools. I am just not sure the money will be there and guess who be footing the bill.
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