Facing Every Mom’s Fears

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leiby-kletzkyDear [email protected],

Leiby Kletzky’s abduction was a time bomb waiting to explode. Indeed when the horrific details of his death were made public, mothers all over the United States fretted with fear, increasing the heart palpitations and confirming their concerns. The media was not shy about the mothers’ fear: “Case Prompts Parents to Ask: How Old Is Old Enough?” declared the Wall Street Journal.

While some castigated parents who allowed their innocent children some independence, critics failed to apprehend the realities. Orthodox Jews, blessed with large families, grapple with arranging modes of transportation for their children. It may prove difficult for a parent to send off four children to school at once while prepping for work to support their families and pay the exorbitant tuition.

Protecting children and providing them with a proper education is the foremost responsibility of every parent in their child rearing years. A child’s adolescent years are a basis for the adult life he will lead. It is, therefore, our goal and sole priority as their parents to keep them safe and lay the foundation of their futures.

As a mom of a soon to be grade school child, I was ecstatic upon receiving the notice of State Senator Simcha Felder regarding the new route of public transportation for students, grades 1-6. It was only a couple of months ago that the tragic tale of Eitan Patz resurfaced. The horrific story of how he vanished en route to his school bus stop, never to return home again, tickled the spines of every parent sending their children out alone to school. Thus, when I received Felder’s pamphlet in the mail I felt relieved knowing that my first grader will only have to walk to our block’s corner to catch her bus. I figured that after three decades of inaction by our representatives in Albany, moms finally made headway in making their voices heard in the scandal-scarred legislature.

However, with all the fanfare and press releases past us, it does not seem so exciting in fact. Last week I received a letter from her school regarding transportation for the upcoming year. I must say I was truly disappointed upon seeing that no alterations have been made to the previous bus route. The closest stop to our home is about 2.5 blocks away with the need to cross a dangerous intersection.

Where have all the plans dispersed to?

A Concerned Mother

{Matzav.com Newscenter}


11 COMMENTS

  1. Dear concerned mother
    I truly hope you wouldn’t allow your first grader to walk to your corner alone to catch the bus????

  2. Having a large family is not an excuse for lack of vigilance with supervising each and every child in that family. We should decide the age to give children their independence irrespective of how many children we have. There is a bigger problem in a family if they can say that the size prevents them from supervising as they should. Having the ability to send an older child with the younger child to the bus stop is something that small families don’t have etc. A parent cannot close his/her eyes to safety details just because it may not be feasible due to family size. I grew up in a large family and never once was this vigilance neglected- it may be a bit harder but that is what you have to consider when choosing to have a large family.

  3. in Cleveland the girls were in their teens when the creep captured them.
    its all min Hashamayim
    daven
    have emunah
    and look over your shoulder constantly

  4. I believe the bill voted for corner stops and not house stops. That would be impossible. As an aside, currently buses stop every 1/4 mile. I know of very small children old enough to ride these buses – 5, 6 yr. olds, who cannot get a stop nearer to their homes because of previously existing stops which accomodate older children who can do the walk.

  5. My son was born a couple of years after Etan was missing. It always haunted me. When my son was going to Middle School on the same block which my husband’s boss’s son became a junkie, my husband insisted I take my son to school. I walked a half of a block behind, so he felt independent, walking alone. When my son heard about this child, he thanked me for being there. I think all children should be taught to respect policemen and firemen and trust that they will help them. A lot of them are fathers too, and want the very best for all children. I remember that Etan’s father wondering how it was for his son to realize he couldn’t trust this adult! Vigilance is important!

  6. Some of the bus stops have kh lots of kids let’s say about 20 – you don’t need 20 mothers waiting it should be organized rotating different mothers everyday which will make it much easier for the mothers with larger families. Also wanted to mention that some of the fatal bus accidents that happened could have been avoided had an adult been close by.

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