School board votes to restore bus service for N.J. district

TEANECK, N.J. — Teaneck Public Schools’ board of education voted unanimously on Sunday to restore busing for public and private school students, and rescind a resolution to accept a local bank’s offer to fund the private routes.

The 2011-12 school district budget had called for the elimination of “courtesy” busing for public school students in grades 1 through 4. The district was also planning to consolidate private school bus routes in a cost-saving measure. Parents had criticized the plan, saying it would jeopardize student safety, Teaneck Patch reports.

The school board's decision to restore the busing was based on safety concerns, said board of education President Ardie Walser following Sunday’s vote.

“I think we have all been blindsided by the revelation that our streets may be less safe than we thought," Walser said. "We were moved by the testimony of residents, which indicates that there are many traffic hazards, as well as danger from pedophiles, not to mention opportunities for vandalism by unsupervised children in our various neighborhoods.”

Sunday’s vote reinstating all busing came after the board voted last week to accept an $85,000 donation from Cross River Bank to restore only private school bus routes. In the latest vote, the school board opted to finance all bus routes using money budgeted for a charter school, which will not open in the fall as planned, according to Teaneck Patch.

Moreover, the board voted to accept the bank's offer, but without the requirement that funds be used for private school busing. The fate of the donation is uncertain at this point, but bank spokesman Stan Steinreich told the news source that they were open to discussing future projects with the school board.

Councilman Yitz Stern, a bank board member who helped lead an effort against the busing cuts, credited the bank's offer with helping to restore busing for all students.