Nebraska man takes stand on Elkhorn School bus issue

From his office in Lincoln, Neb., Eric Donald has become concerned with the transportation service for Elkhorn Elementary School located thousands of miles away in Stockton. When he found out his friend had to pay hundreds just so her daughter could ride home on a school bus, he decided he had to do something about it.

So he started writing.

Late last week, Donald sent letters to "nearly every (Lodi) business he could find on the Internet," urging each to donate a small amount of money to help defer the $236 per child cost to Elkhorn families.

"This may not affect you and your family personally as far as where your kids are attending school, but some of those (at Elkhorn) are single and low-income families and the added cost could be too much for the family to absorb.

"I am asking each and every business in Lodi to assist with a tax deductible donation to the Elkhorn public school to help with this cost. If every business in town donated $100 this would be of great benefit to those who are not able," he wrote.

The 60 letters went out in the mail Friday. So, Donald said, if you operate a winery, a doctor's office or other business here, watch your mailbox today or Wednesday. The district is set to make a final decision on the service Friday.

Donald, who works at a funeral home, got involved because he is concerned families on a tight budget were getting the shaft. He, too, has children and said he'd do the same thing if they were facing a similar budget issue in their school district.

"I'm not a community activist, I'm an activist in general," Donald said. "I like to look for changes that can be carried on for future generations."

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

Gator wrote on Aug 26, 2008 7:49 AM:

" Lets see what we have here, a bit of a tiff over fees to transport children to
a Gate school, Hmmmm!! So why not charge parents to transport their
Children to Football, Baseball and Basketball OR have them drive the kids to their games like the minor sports such as Water Polo do!! Just
A thought, pip, pip!! "

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Lodian wrote on Aug 23, 2008 10:48 AM:

" I admire Eric Donald for his efforts to help the children and their families. "

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Lodian wrote on Aug 23, 2008 10:36 AM:

" Actually, I believe that the parents should bus their own children to Elkhorn, as it is a choice to have their student attend this school. Just like an intra-district transfer, coming from their home school area, transportation needs to be provided by the students family. Ideally, it would be nice to provide all of these services, but it's obvious that the funds cannot support such extras. "

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advocateforgifted wrote on Aug 20, 2008 5:57 PM:

" A public thank you should go out to this man who saw a need and filled it, regardless of your opinion about GATE schools. How many of us would go to the trouble to do the same? I hope some of those who receive his letters realize that students who work hard at Elkhorn are going to get somewhere in the world. They will use their talents and skills to be problem-solvers, inventors, and technicians who can fix the mess past generations have created. "

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GATEmom wrote on Aug 19, 2008 11:25 AM:

" I agree that this is just another "back-door" way to close down Elkhorn. When my son qualified for the program bussing was to be provided. Also, what decent, responsible school council approves a school budget two weeks before the school year starts? There are so many wrongs here! Are charter schools forcing students to pay for bussing? I also seem to recall at the beginning of this year a school bus parked in front of In and Out Burger with a big sign saying that LUSD transportation department was hiring full and part-time drivers. Hmmm... "

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Rhodie wrote on Aug 19, 2008 10:48 AM:

" As a parent E.R. would you rather your kids go to a community college or a full university? There's math teachers at both schools, they'd get the same level of learning at both places wouldn't they?

What is it about Elkhorn that offends thee so? That gifted students are challenged in a way that a mixed class room couldn't? Must be the part about students being surrounded by other gifted students that will hopefully push them to be better as well. Are you one of those people that think grades do more harm than good? "Why do we have to grade the kids, it only hurts their self-esteme." "Don't make the kids compete cuase then someone will lose and that's wrong."

I remember my spanish teacher from high school. Never allowed Englih in his classroom after the second year because he knew total emersion led to better learning. The kids at Elkhorn are emersed in tougher classes with more competition and are challenged to be better than the average teacher would at a local school with 1/2 the kids below state standards. "

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Rhodie wrote on Aug 19, 2008 10:39 AM:

" " Maybe Elkhorn should be closed and the Gate program should be run from the students' local schools."

The local schools can not provide the same level of education as Elkhorn. Let's take math. How many math teachers for the 7th grade are certified, specially trained, to teach Pre-algebra to the kids at Elkhorn? Last I heard, Elkhorn had the only one. So my son, by your level of care for his education, would have to take a lower math or learn Algebra from a teacher who may not even understand it themselves, and my son's not even the smartest one in the class. I remember that in school, asking a teach why for a math problem and them telling me they had no idea, it's what the book told them.

But you're right, why should these kids be given a proper education. Let's lump them in with kids who aren't as good at math so the smarter ones can't be pushed to do even better. "

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Rhodie wrote on Aug 19, 2008 10:32 AM:

" "Administrators must have a Master's degree at the very least and many have a Doctorate. This does not include all of the "continuing education" that educators must have in order to renew credentials every five years. Perhaps it is the fact that these people are highly educated that you object to."

And yet they think repainting new schools and reseeding fresh grass is more important than transportation to school.

Just how many Masters degree administrators does it take to figure out that if bussing is going to be cut parents need more than a week to make arrangements. Or that when the decision is made int he Spring then parents that ask over the summer should be told no there will not be bussing. I know, let's hire another PHD who can focus only on telling parents their kids educations isn't important to the school district. "

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educated reader wrote on Aug 19, 2008 8:50 AM:

" Maybe Elkhorn should be closed and the Gate program should be run from the students' local schools.

As for "administrators... enormous pay checks," it confounds me why people complain about the amount of money that administrators are paid. Just how "enormous" do you perceive them to be? Administrators must have a Master's degree at the very least and many have a Doctorate. This does not include all of the "continuing education" that educators must have in order to renew credentials every five years. Perhaps it is the fact that these people are highly educated that you object to.

So when your child graduates from Elkhorn and later from university, they should only be paid a minimum wage? You would again be outraged! "

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educated reader wrote on Aug 19, 2008 8:34 AM:

" "Thousands" of miles away? Just how many "thousands" of miles away is Lincoln, Nebraska?

So wineries and doctors are perceived as wealthy enough to "finance" the transportation for those who are already fortunate enough to attend Lodi's one and only "private" school? The elitest attitude of Elkhorn parents never ceases to amaze me. "

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Rhodie wrote on Aug 19, 2008 8:33 AM:

" Unfortunately, I suspect that taking the busses away from Elkhorn is just part of a plan to eventually close the school so more administrators can keep their enormous pay checks.

By all means LUSD, lets not let the gifted kids learn in a enviroment that gives them every advantage in life. Lets keep them down so they can't see what their true potential is. "

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