Jessica Stewart, left, and Erikiyah Phillips, 2nd right, and their children
Parents ask for a safe walk to Lincoln Elementary school
Contributed By: Jonathan Bradford and 411 News Staff
Families feeling neglected by Hammond school district
The walk from the Renaissance Apartments in Hammond to Lincoln Elementary School takes about 30 minutes for Jessica Clark and her daughter Summer.
Lincoln Elementary, 4221 Towle Avenue, is about 13 blocks away. Clark makes the trip 4 times a day.
When they get to school, Clark remains with Summer until students are allowed in the building. “I stay with her because I don’t want her to be influenced by other kids who might say ‘let’s go to the store or somewhere off school grounds.’”
Last school year, Summer attended Burns-Hicks Elementary and a school bus picked her up in the morning and brought her back home.
Clark and other Renaissance Apartment families who don’t own cars are disappointed and angry about the change in schools and no bus service.
“I’m pregnant. It is going to be difficult walking during winter,” Clark said.
The School City of Hammond redrew attendance boundaries for its elementary schools after it closed 3 elementary schools; part of the district’s plan to trim its budget by $30 million over the next 2 years.
For the 2024-2025 school year, families were told bus service would only be provided to middle and high school students, students with special needs, McKinney-Vento (homeless) students, and foster care students.
The district published on its website in July, Updates Regarding Mass Transit (Busing) for 2024-25 School Year, noting “Due to cost cutting, there will be no bus transportation services for most general education students attending SCH elementary schools for the 2024-2025 school year. As a result of the updated boundaries, most every elementary school student lives within the walk zone radius of 1.5 miles. You should make your own plans to get your child to and from school.”
Renaissance Apartments, at Michigan Street and Sohl Avenue, is barely inside the Lincoln Elementary 1.5 mile walk radius. Across the street is the Turner Park community, whose students are also in the Lincoln attendance boundary. The route takes families through 3 busy intersections and across two rail crossings.
Their biggest concern is Chicago Avenue and Johnson Street. It is wide open, with only a stop sign for vehicle traffic crossing Chicago Avenue.
Jeanny Knight, a Renaissance Apartments resident, walks with her twin 5th graders to Lincoln. She’s also pushing a stroller with a toddler. “We need a crossing guard at Chicago Avenue to help us.”
Lawrence Green and Jessica Stewart walk their kindergartner and 4th grade student to Lincoln. “It takes us about 45 minutes,” Green said. “This walk is discouraging. I thought they cared about kids.” “And, it’s not safe,” Stewart said.
Kathleen Carr, a crossing guard at Lincoln Elementary said, “I think we need more crossing guards from Lincoln school to Chicago Avenue. Parents walk their children, but there are times when they are not walking with them which can become very dangerous. Signage is not the issue; we need more people.”
At the August 28th ‘Mayor’s Night Out,’ Stewart asked Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott if he could do anything about the bus service. Mayor McDermott said he was concerned about the bus service cuts for those without transportation and acknowledged the school district’s difficult financial situation. “This issue puts a burden on families who are already struggling.” He urged the School City of Hammond to consider exploring other solutions.
Story Posted:09/06/2024
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