OPINION
The Chronicle i
617 N. Liberty Street ,c a sy<?.
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www.wschronicle.com \ '"*/
Ernest H. Pitt
Donna Rogers
Elaine Pitt
Publisher/Co-Founder
Managing Editor
Business Manager
Our Mission
The Chronicle is dedicated to serving the
residents of Winston-Salem and Forsyth
County by giving voice to the voiceless, speak
ing truth to power, standing for integrity and
encouraging open communication and
lively debate throughout the community.
Get involved
in process for
new bus routes
The Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) is
holding information sessions for the public through
June 8 to explain the changes planned for the bus1
system starting later this year or early next year.
Everyone should be involved in the process of this
major overhaul of WSTA bus routes. TTie major over
haul is the first one since the city of Winston-Salem
bought the Safe Bus Co. in 1972.
The Safe Bus Co., owned by African-Americans,
had developed an extensive route system based on
the east side of Winston-Salem. It served that area
during segregation because that's where most of the
African-Americans lived. Most African-Americans
in Winston-Salem still live on the east side of the
city. Safe Bus extended its routes to other parts of the
city during its existence when the bus system serving
the west side of the city shut down.
WSTA has information about each proposed new
routes and a schedule of the information sessions on
its website at http://www.wstransit.com/wp-con
tent/uploads/2015/05/proposed-route-changes-book
let.pdf. Also, see The Chronicle's story at
http://www.wschronicle.com/2015/04/wsta-chang
ing-bus-routes/.
Everyone should become involved in the process
because buses ride through neighborhoods where
people live, neighbors use the bus system and tax
payers' money pays for it. "?
WSTA has said that under its proposal, routes will
change, all bus routes will receive new numerical
names and the frequency of bus service will increase.
That will mean big changes in people's lives.
Riders will have to function with the new route
numbers and times.
In a survey of the preliminary bus routes on the
website, some bus stops on schedules now have been
eliminated. Some riders will have to walk farther to
get to bus stops or find alternative means of trans
portation.
WSTA officials say the goal with the new routes
will be to have shorter travel time and better passen
ger access, too. But there are fewer routes. Now there
are 40 routes. Under the proposal, there will be 26
routes. What will this mean for bus riders across the
city, especially for those who live east of U.S.
Highway 52? These residents largely use the bus sys
tem.
Attend the WSTA sessions in your ward to find
out what the new bus system will mean to you and
your neighbors, or attend a session at the
Transportation Center on Fifth Street downtown.
Transportation is very important to people's lives.
It could make or break a job offer or even a promo
tion. It could mean limited groceries if people cannot
get to the grocery store. It could mean issues with
childcare if people cannot get their children to the
people who will take care of them. It could mean not
attending college or any other school if students can
not get there.
Without a public bus system that is reliable and
convenient, people will have to find more expensive
alternatives, such as cabs.
Of course, residents might have friends and
neighbors who will give them rides or they can buy
cars so they won't have to ride the bus.
That would ease their transportation burden.
However, those alternatives won't be an option for
everyone.
The bus system in Winston-Salem is inexpensive,
saving people money to spend in other areas of their
lives. WSTA officials said the proposed system
would operate at the current cost of the transit sys
tem, using the same amount of miles driven and
worker hours. They say there won't be an increased
cost to passengers or the city.
This seems to mean that bus fares will not
increase. But many riders now will have to make
changes in their lives if the buses don't come near
their homes under the new schedules, which could
mean they will have to spend extra money.
Council members are discussing the changes in
the bus system at their constituent meetings, also.
Council Member Derwin Montgomery will hold his
East Ward Town Hall Meeting meeting tonight
(Thursday, May 14) at New Jerusalem Baptist
Church, 1212 North Dunleith Ave.
Attend the WSTA sessions and ask questions and
let your voice be heard. The sessions are supposed to
be places at which the WSTA wants to hear from
you. Let them hear you, loud and clear.
ma^m
JTs)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Somethings
to think about
after program
reflection
To the Editor:
The recognition of the three band
directors - Rudolph V. Boone Sr.
(Carver High School), Bernard T.
Foy Sr. (Deceased - Paisley IB
Magnet School) and Harry D.
Wheeler (Deceased - Winston-Salem
Preparatory Academy) - on Saturday,
April 25,2015 has incomprehensible
significance or implications, way
beyond human understanding or
imagination.
The attendance at the Dedication
Program was certainly no indication
of its impact, success or significance.
It was noble (liberal) of the Big 4
Alumni Association of Forsyth
County Inc. to accept such a proposal
to petition the Winston
Salem/Forsyth County School Board
to recognize three of its former dedi
cated and long-serving band directors
til uiic paiiia
me n t a r y
action, by
naming their
respective
school band
rooms in
their honor.
It was
equally
noble of the
W-S/FC
School
Board to
vote unani
mously to
fU?
apyiuvc uic
recommendation and follow through
on the process in a relatively short
period of time.
It was noble of those who signed
petitions in favor of this recognition
and those who support the idea with
financial contributions, program par
ticipation, written and spoken words
of appreciation, encouragement,
gratefulness and satisfaction.
Obviously, there are lessons to be
learned from this noble endeavor.
The big thing is ... this community
will be better off because of this his-.
tory-making decision and action, as
Boone
well as the state and nation.
Thanks to all who helped make
this noble thing happen and let the
world know about it!!
Rudolph V. Boone Sr. - Honoree
No Summer Camp
opportunity for our 1st
and 2nd graders
attending Title I
Schools?
To the Editor:
Opportunity. That is the commod
ity which every child in Forsyth
County should have access.
Unfortunately, the state of affairs in
the local school system has singled
out students at low performing
schools and limited access to oppor
. tunity. Simply, too many of our
schools are failing our children. And
unfortunately most of the children in
the schools that are failing are brown
and black.
Nearly every elementary school
that has a majority of black and
brown students in Forsyth County
received a grade of D or F in the lat
es't assessment. That indeed is a
shame. Added to that fact is the limit
ed amount of access to tools that will
help these students and ultimately
these schools to improve.
I am thoroughly disgusted with
the lack of resources being pumped
into these failing schools. My daugh
ter spent the first four years of her
academic career at Forsyth Country
Day, one of the top private schools in
the state. Last year, because of our
changing economic circumstances,
we were forced to take her out of
FCDS and enroll her in the local pub
lic school system for the first time.
The choices were to enroll her at
Ashley or Cook Elementary. We
enrolled her at Cook. What a shock
that was for her.
My daughter has always loved
school. She has been one of the class
leaders since she enrolled in the Jr.
Pre-K program at Forsyth Country
Day. As she moved up to Pre-K,
Kindergarten and First Grade she
continued to excel. However, last
year as a second-grader, she began to
dislike school. Too many children off
task, too many interruptions of
instruction and too many fights.
Fortunately her zest for learning
was restored last summer when she
attended the Explorers Camp at
Petree Elementary. That camp,
which was funded by Title I, was
refreshing and exciting. She com
pared her daily activity to that which
she had experienced at Forsyth
Country Day, where she was very
active as the lead in plays both her
kindergarten and first grade year. As
a member of the Give Me the Beat
choir at FCDS; she had performed
musically at a number of venues,
including a performance at BB&T
[Ballpark] where the choir sang the
National Anthem before a Winston
Salem Dash game.
Reinvigorated, she eagerly antici
pated going to the Explorers Camp
each morning. She jumped up every
morning excited to have the chance
to learn and share experiences with
fellow campers. Campers studied the
cultures of Mexico and China. They
also had an opportunity to display
their musical talents for fellow
campers. In addition, they received
tutoring to improve their English and
math skills.
As a result, her experience this
year at Cook Elementary has been
very rewarding. Despite distractions,
she has been a leader throughout the
school year. Her grades have been
exemplary. She has made A's in all of
her academic classes, and I was very
excited about her grading out on the
92nd percentile on a recent end-of
quarter test in math.
Yet, I am concerned that she
might regress this summer because
she won't be able to attend the
Explorers Camp. Surely, the powers
that be in the local school system
realized how much it added to the
lives of the children who attended the
camp last summer. It is a shame that
such a wonderful vehicle for afford
ing black and brown children in our
county an opportunity to learn, grow,
and, more importantly, to not regress,
will not be available for them this
summer. After all, shouldn't they
want to give every child in the school
system an opportunity to broaden
their horizons?
Theresa Davis
I ?' 1
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