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http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2008/dec/13/blind-veteran-denied-busing-for-son-in-lakewood/

Blind veteran denied busing for son in Lakewood Park


ST. LUCIE COUNTY - Dana Millar, 48, right, stands in the doorway of his home in Lakewood Park, listening for his son William, 6, as he brings in bread donated from the local Moose Lodge #148. Dana Miller, who is blind, is having trouble getting his son to the nearby Lakewood Park Elementary School since the school bus transportation stopped picking his son up because he lives too close to the school.

Photo by Eric Hasert

ST. LUCIE COUNTY - Dana Millar, 48, right, stands in the doorway of his home in Lakewood Park, listening for his son William, 6, as he brings in bread donated from the local Moose Lodge #148. Dana Miller, who is blind, is having trouble getting his son to the nearby Lakewood Park Elementary School since the school bus transportation stopped picking his son up because he lives too close to the school.

FORT PIERCE — Dana Millar's 6-year-old son, William, on occasion takes a taxi cab to and from Lakewood Park Elementary School.

Figuring out how to get his son to and from school each day is a constant struggle for the single father because he's blind and can't drive. As a courtesy, the school district last year provided bus transportation for William, but cut the service this year because of state budget cuts.

Because William lives within 2 miles of his school, by law, the school district doesn't have to provide transportation.

"They're putting my son's safety behind their budget cuts," Millar said. "I don't think it's asking too much. There are no sidewalks, and there is a lot of traffic."

About 600 students countywide, all within a two-mile radius of their area schools, were affected by the elimination of courtesy pickups, said Don Carter, director of transportation for the St. Lucie County School District.

"The elimination of courtesy stops was probably the most painful from the perspective of the community, because it impacted a lot of families" Carter said.

The move was part of an effort to cut $2.5 million from the district's $24 million transportation budget, Carter said. Eliminating courtesy pickups was a big part of that budget cut. The district ran 400 buses last year. This year they're down to 360, Carter said. It costs about $50,000 annually to operate a bus, he said.

Carter won't make an exception for William because he'd have to provide courtesy pickups for other students who want them, he said.

"It's certainly not that I don't sympathize with their situation," Carter said. "I have to feel for him. It's just that if I opened the door for him, I'd have to open the door for everybody."

State Department of Education officials said they have no authority in the matter.

"We understand the difficult decisions that are being made in districts across the state, and sympathize with their dilemma to cut programs due to budgetary limitations," said Kelsey Lehtomaa, deputy press secretary for the department. "We are hopeful that this economic downturn will be short-lived, so programs such as courtesy busing can continue to help deserving families." Meanwhile, Millar, 48, said he feels helpless. He said he's tried to get help from local school officials, but they're unwilling to listen or return his calls. He also said he's offered to pay the cost for picking up his son.

Millar, who lives in a small duplex in Lakewood Park, is a U.S. Army veteran. He lost his eyes during a military explosion when he was 19 years old, he said. Doctors had to replace his eyes with acrylic eyes. Millar, who walks with a cane, said he tried walking his son to school one time, but because he can't see, he got lost. And it's just too dangerous, he said.

So, he scrambles each day to find friends or acquaintances to pick up his son, even paying some of them.

"That's how desperate I am," he said. "It's never the same person who picks him up."

Millar said the issue has been hard on his son who has already had a difficult life.

After William's mother was incarcerated, and still is, in a California prison, he was placed in foster homes. When Millar, who lived in Boston, Mass., at the time, found out, he flew to California to gain full custody of him.

The father and son moved to Fort Pierce two years ago. He said his son was recently diagnosed with dyslexia. He's hoping that might qualify his son as a special-needs student, so he can ride the bus. State law requires a district to provide transportation for special-needs students.

Carter said Millar is not the only parent with a disability requesting a courtesy pickup.

"I have several on my desk now where the parent is disabled or handicapped," he said. "It's certainly not isolated. But I have to say his situation is certainly the worst."

I don't know the area they're in.
I know the story states there are no sidewalks and lots of traffic, but 9 times out of 10 these stories are gross exagerations.

Personally, we walked to school all the time. There's nothing wrong with a 6 year old walking to school unless they are realy in a bad area.

Typical government crap

why the hell do we do this to our Vets. But then let those from foreign countries live here and pay no taxes

There are several things he could do. He may have to get a lawyer to help get it straight though. He has a disability, and therefore, maybe his son would qualify for special circumstances of that help. I would bet more than one bus goes by, and would not be out of the way to stop and get him. It's sounds like they are being stubborn, so the attorney could help push things along.

He could ask a neighbor to help. jmo

That's what I was thinking - there are bound to be parents that live around him that are more than happy to help - they'd just need to be made aware of it.

I believe the stories from Florida. They do not have sidewalks here like they do up north. I dont know why but in a lot of areas it is a fact. The roads here are very busy and dangerous in the winter months. Heck I dont go shopping but only in the off hours.

It was 25 years ago when you were 6 years old, and I think it is safe to say that times have drastically changed since then.

There is nothing on this earth that could convince me to let my child at the age of 6, or even now that she is 10, walk to school by herself. I don't care how safe of a neighborhood I thought I lived in! You just never know.

What a pathetic world we live in, when a school system can't figure out a way to get this child to school, all because of financial cuts.

Couldn't the teachers or principle figure out some sort of way for them to take turns picking this child up or all the children that are in this position?

I mean, come on, if those kids live less then 2 miles from school, I seriously doubt it would take that much extra gas to pick them up, especially if everyone was willing to take turns doing it!

What ever happened to it takes a village to raise a child?

I agree, Ms. Carmen, I would never let my son walk to or from school alone and he's 13. I have let him a couple of times when there were groups of kids, but that's it, and he was required to be in almost total cell phone contact the whole time. I live in a good neighborhood but there's crime everywhere.

As for this child, I wonder if calling the PTA might help. They might be able to help him put together a car pool. Or, maybe put up a notice in his development. I bet there are other kids who live there that are in somewhat the same position. I'd bet there's a parent(s) who'd be happy to help out.

I would never have let my child at that age walk to school in any area.

wow, you'd feel safe to have your 6 year old walking to school by himself? I wouldn't.

Yes, it is not an exaggeration, took some getting used to but most of Florida is without sidewalks, either one walks on the side of the street or on the grass.

Fran,

St. Louis City has sidewalks but many of the subdivisions outside of the city do not.

I took that into consideration when I bought my house. I didn't want my child riding a bike in the street.

Oh I was in shock when I first moved down here and found no sidewalks, talk about being an easy target for 'these Floridian drivers'

But guess my question is this: when does it become discriminatory? What makes something discriminatory? I do know if this was to be easily defined it would become a federal government issue, but as it's a state issue, does anyone really care?

Well what are the other kids that live with in the 2 mile limit doing?
If parents are driving, Dad could strike a deal with another parent that drives.
If kids are walking as a group, with older kids, an agreement needs to be made.

In my case, there are no other students living nearby. The children on my street go to all different schools - public, private, magnet, and charter.

If my child went to the city school, desecration changed everything. You don't go to the school closest to you.

My child goes to a private school. I drive 16 miles round trip and no other student lives near us.

You would think someone would step up. Its is stated he has paid people to take the kid. If thats true, it is sad anyone would accept money knowing the situation and the cause of it. Has man really became that uncaring!!!!