Get on Board With Our Kids!
February 28, 2010 - Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Join Genesis in our campaign to persuade the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to spend a tiny portion of its multi-billion dollar budget on a free Youth Bus Pass for Bay Area students.
Corpus Christi Catholic Church
322 St. James Drive
Piedmont, CA 94611
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Public Transit: AC Transit Route 18
Download Event Postcard (pdf)
Download Proposed Agenda (pdf)
Genesis is a faith and values based organization dedicated to building an inclusive San Francisco Bay Area region that works for all of its communities by bringing equality to those most vulnerable and marginalized in our region.
The Problem
California law does not require school districts to provide yellow school bus transportation for middle- and high-school students. In many districts, this means our children must buy a monthly bus pass on public transit or pay a fare for every ride. In San Jose, a monthly youth pass costs $45 per child. In Oakland and Berkeley, 60% of students surveyed reported sometimes spending their lunch money on bus fare. In 2001, MTC was asked to give a 3-year pilot program a chance, but refused to provide enough funding for even one year.
The Solution
At relatively small cost, MTC can ensure that our students have the means to get to school, extracurricular activities and after-school jobs. That will not only help our kids learn, it will make them healthier, improve our public schools, reduce carbon emissions, and make our whole region stronger.
Healthier Kids
Mobile children are active children who are less likely to suffer from obesity and other health risks. Youth with access to after-school activities and jobs learn more, and have lower crime rates. And kids who ride the bus form a healthy lifelong habit of riding transit. Better Schools: Last year, Oakland schools lost $30 million in state funding due to absences. By getting our kids to school, all our students and teachers will enjoy the benefits of greater funding. Reducing Traffic and Carbon Emissions: A lot of morning traffic results from parents driving their children to school. A free Youth Bus Pass will give our communities the benefit of reduced pollution and gridlock.
We Can Do It
Joining hands across the region, with strong support from many of our elected leaders, congregations, business and labor, we can finally force MTC to get on board with our values and our kids. Join us for a Youth Bus Pass Summit meeting on February 28, 2010, and make a commitment to work with us for a more just, healthier and more connected region.
