School busing continues to be a hot topic for Clarkston Community Schools.
More than 300 calls have come into the district’s school bus hotline, active about a month, said Anita Banach, director of communications and marketing.
Parents near the border with Holly also remain unsatisfied with the Board of Education’s response to their concerns.
‘It’s a dangerous, dark, and scary place ? we’re tired of telling you this,? said Michelle Dolan, Davisburg resident, at Monday’s board meeting.
‘Please put our bus stop back.?
School policy require buses to remain in forward motion on their routes. Previously, some stops required buses to stop and back up to turn around.
Those stops have been eliminated. The school board is now enforcing its policy consistently, eliminating grandfathered backing-up stops, increasing safety for all.
‘Backing up is a major safety concern,? said board President Stephen Hyer. ‘A bus driver has zero visibility. That’s why we have the policy.?
School board trustees and administrators have been to the site in Springfield Township and observed it for hours, and they had some suggestions.
‘The boat launch has parking for several cars,? Hyer said.
Parents at Monday’s school board meeting were unsatisfied.
‘I’m very disappointed,? said resident Sue Cummings. ‘I’m pleading with you guys to find creative ways to help families ? this seems like a poorly made decision.?

Calls to the hotline

The more than 300 calls received by Clarkston’s bus hotline were broken down into categories, as reported to the Board of Education by Anita Banach:
55 ‘rollups,? incorrect bus stops assigned to students moving to middle school, junior high, or high school;
52 blank bus stop assignment cards, or with insufficient information;
26 confused parents of kindergarten students;
15 concerns about shuttles, in which buses transport a load of students, then come back for the rest;
35 angry parents over personal issues such as neighbor disputes;
30 easy fixes, changes that still follow policy;
25 requests for drop-off times. Only pick-up times were listed because drop off times are more approximate;
65 miscellaneous, such as parents in special education, private school, with allergies, etc.