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The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

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Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#281

Post by RandomBacon »

bluGill wrote: post #266
RandomBacon wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the child is not in any actual danger, then people who call emergency services or police need to be cited for wasting resources. Busybodies seem to call because of "what if" things. That child's actual danger is the busybody.

> If the child is not in any actual danger, then people who call emergency services or police need to be cited for wasting resources. As a mandatory reporter, my instructions are if there is any possibility report and let the experts figure it out. There is no harm to me if I report and nothing is found. However if they discover something and find that I was in contact with the kid in question they will investigate:…

I appreciate that mandatory reporting laws exist for evidence of abuse, and to an extent, suspicion of abuse; but does your training say that children left alone less than a few hours, is abuse or is suspicious by itself, and needs to be reported?

There is always the possibility for anything, so that cannot be the bar.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#282

Post by knowitnone »

dylan604 wrote: post #180
RandomBacon wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's that schools need to dismiss the kid to their parent. Do they? What's the citation for that law? Who are the schools dismissing the kids to when they walk home by themselves?

The parent has already signed a release form at the beginning of the school year that designated their kiddo as a walker, and did not need the parent present. Just like your DoorDash option to not be needed to be present

one abduction and one lawsuit will put an end to release forms real quick

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#283

Post by WorldMaker »

bluGill wrote: post #262
WorldMaker wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rural property owners in the US are somewhat likely to shoot first and ask questions about trespassers only later. In some parts of the country the Road is the only obviously public land. (Even that can't be taken for granted sometimes, as private streets exist in some areas, too.)

No they are not. That is what happens in the movies, but in reality those people are just like anyone else - mostly nice people. Even stand your ground laws which allow you to shoot without asking questions only apply in specific situations and are unlikely to apply (though without specific details I cannot say for sure)

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutio...

Especially noted:

> Overall, rural counties had the highest rate of gun deaths.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#284

Post by crote »

lvl155 wrote: post #98
Aurornis wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sorry for your experience, but this is extremely location dependent. Walking home from school in many areas is perfectly safe. In other areas it's not. Making blanket statements or restrictions without context doesn't make sense.

So you’re conceding this is location dependent. So in effect you’re saying the article is also location dependent? Pick one. If you knew the statistics on kidnapping or missing children in the US, you would not think of this as a “life-style” choice. By the way, 80% of US population live in urban areas so your experience living in 20% is not representative.

You seem to be missing the point. In the vast majority of cases locations being unsuitable for walking/cycling to school isn't an immutable law of nature - it's a result of deliberate choices made by humans.

Building primarily low-density car-dependent suburbs is a choice. Building horribly oversized car infrastructure is a choice. Not building bike or pedestrian infrastructure is a choice. Building one megaschool instead of a handful of smaller local schools is a choice.

People voted to have slightly lower taxes and spend a few hours a week waiting in the pickup line. That's a lifestyle choice, even if they weren't aware they were making it.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#285

Post by eppsilon »

lvl155 wrote: post #205
Aurornis wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About 95% of children reported missing to the FBI were found to have run away. Child abduction by strangers is extremely rare: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-wisconsin-missinggirl-dat...

You keep referring that article but you can feel free to look up official stats.

The article cites the FBI, DOJ, and NCMEC.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#286

Post by devilbunny »

jamesblonde wrote: post #272
robertlagrant wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My kids having been cycling a mile each way to school since they were 5 years old. It's definitely doable, although we're fortunate enough that we aren't both working long days, and are well off enough that school is that close.

A mile is not close. Disclaimer: I am european. Grew up in ireland. Lots of cars, but unless you're in the countryside or its raining, it's generally walk/cycle to school. In Stockholm now, you are 'shamed' if you drive to school to drop your kids off. "Normal" parents have cargo bikes to bring their small kids to school if it's a long distance (like 500m or more).

You must have a lot of schools. I walked or biked about a mile each way to school starting in third grade (age 8-9), and the only reason I didn't do it a year earlier was that the two other kids who would accompany me were a year younger.

I only got dropped off if it was raining (that can be quite severe and thunderstorms are common) or if I was so late that I couldn't make it. In the latter case, I walked home.

Four years later, my school was miles away. No choice but dropoff lines (private school, no bus service). Had I been in the public school system, I would have needed to bus or be dropped off for junior high (that year and two after it, ~4 mi/6.5 km away traveling on and crossing multiple arterial roads without bike lanes or sidewalks for most of the way), but could have walked/ridden/driven myself to high school.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#287

Post by bluGill »

RandomBacon wrote: post #281
bluGill wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If the child is not in any actual danger, then people who call emergency services or police need to be cited for wasting resources. As a mandatory reporter, my instructions are if there is any possibility report and let the experts figure it out. There is no harm to me if I report and nothing is found. However if they discover something and find that I was in contact with the kid in question they will investigate:…

I appreciate that mandatory reporting laws exist for evidence of abuse, and to an extent, suspicion of abuse; but does your training say that children left alone less than a few hours, is abuse or is suspicious by itself, and needs to be reported? There is always the possibility for anything , so that cannot be the bar.

My training is if there is any possibility of anything report. They specifically told me not to think. Telling me a few hours is okay would mean I now have something to think about and I'm not allowed to do think.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#288

Post by zip1234 »

thehoagie wrote: post #192

We live across the street from our kids elementary and middle schools. There is a sidewalk and a crosswalk to the school. Parents in our subdivision still choose to drive in because "the crosswalk is too dangerous". Schools can't afford crossing guards, county engineers claim it is an enforcement issue, police can't cover it with their limited staffing, and Republicans are banning school speeding cameras in Georgia.

Crossing guards aren't a substitute for good road design. There should probably be a narrower road by schools to slow people down as well as raised crosswalks. Similar to https://maps.app.goo.gl/TpAiphV8iJZ7j6mY9 as an example. This is across from a school in England where a very high percentage walk

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#289

Post by bluGill »

WorldMaker wrote: post #283
bluGill wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No they are not. That is what happens in the movies, but in reality those people are just like anyone else - mostly nice people. Even stand your ground laws which allow you to shoot without asking questions only apply in specific situations and are unlikely to apply (though without specific details I cannot say for sure)

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutio... Especially noted: > Overall, rural counties had the highest rate of gun deaths.

This is still tiny numbers.

Re: The School Car Pickup Line Is a National Embarrassment

#290

Post by RandomBacon »

mingus88 wrote: post #276
DavidPeiffer wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In grad school, a friend from China explained that he stayed home on his own starting at like age 3. He was going down to the market outside his high rise apartment, buying basic groceries, and entertaining himself all day. It blew my mind, he saw nothing wrong with it.

That’s quite a tale you were told. As a parent I can tell you my children barely even remember being 3yo, let alone have the ability to reach the shelves and pour their own beverages at that age

As a HN denizen, I can tell you that your anecdote does not overide someone else's anecdote.
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