Chaos on first day of school in Perth Amboy as bus routes are cut due to funding
PERTH AMBOY, N.J. -- There was chaos on the first day of school in a New Jersey community where the district cut bus transportation for some students.
Parents in Perth Amboy protested in front of city hall demanding the school district reinstate the bus routes that were eliminated by funding cuts.
They want the mayor to intervene after complaining the district did not give them enough time to arrange transportation for their children, who otherwise have to walk across busy roads to get to school now.
"They need your help to turn this around," said Aneudys Peralta, a father of two who was protesting. "This was unfair and unjustified what they did."
About three weeks ago, school officials sent letters notifying parents the district was cutting courtesy transportation for K-8 students at several elementary schools and for some programs.
The district is now only providing transportation for students who live over two miles from school, which is the law in New Jersey.
"I'm one of the fortunate ones that has a vehicle, but there are a lot of parents that don't and the ones who are mostly affected are single mothers with children and kids with special needs," said Peralta.
Chaos during school drop-off and pick-up
There was chaos outside Rose M. Lopez Elementary School as parents jammed the street to pick up their kids.
"Now you have to come an hour earlier in order for you to get a parking space. If not, it's chaos here," said Wilson Familia, who was picking up his daughter.
A parent's video of the morning drop-off Thursday shows traffic was backed up to surrounding streets.
"This morning, my daughter was super late, along with a ton of other parents because even when I left at 8:53 from the school, there was a line of cars going all the way out to New Brunswick Avenue. It was insane," one mother said. "It's absolutely ridiculous. They spent all this money on this new high school, which is great, it looks awesome ... But for the board and the superintendent to spend that amount and now not have basic funds just for transportation for our children, that's a major problem."
A spokesperson said the mayor is committed to helping parents navigate the changes, but that bus transportation is the responsibility of the school district.
We were unable to get a comment from Perth Amboy's superintendent of schools.
Thursday was also the first day for New York City Public Schools.