Is Walking To School A Thing Of The Past?

   By drodriguez  Sep 14, 2009
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For many parents, the idea of their kids walking to school is not an option, no matter the distance.  With horrific stories of kidnapping circulating daily in the news, it is no wonder that parents fear the worst will happen to their children if they walk the streets unsupervised.  According to data from the National Household Travel Survey, in 2001 only 13 percent of children walked or rode their bikes to school as compared with the 41 percent that used to in 1969. 

So why the big decline, is it really that much more dangerous to walk to school now as it was back then?  Or are our fears compounded by the increase in media coverage and outlets that allow us to hear more stories about children being abducted?

A recent article from New York Times reported that roughly 115 children are abducted by strangers each year as compared to the 250,000 that are injured in auto accidents.  So is it really safer to drive your child to school?  Paula Fass, author of "Kidnapped: Child Abduction in America" explains, "We try to control our fears to the nth degree, so we drop our children off right at school.  It’s a confirmation that ’I’m a good parent.’"

The minority of parents that allow their children to walk to school often report experiencing disapproval from other parents as well as school officials.  One mother, Lori Pierce, from Columbus, Miss. allowed her eager 10-year-old son to walk to a nearby soccer practice.  Several people who saw the boy walking reportedly called 911 before a police officer arrived and drove the boy the rest of the way to his practice.  Pierce was later reprimanded by the officer for allowing her son to walk alone.

What do you think of the decline in parents allowing their children to walk to school?

Do you feel it is safe enough to allow your children to walk or ride their bikes to school?

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SpencersMom730 by SpencersMom730 | St Louis, MO
Sep 25, 2009

I think that if you are going to let your children walk somewhere it is best if they do it in a group, but parents should have the discretion to decide if their child is mature enough to walk by themselves. And, I don't know how many of you saw the kid from Belleville IL getting pummled on the bus, but it goes to show that we can't protect our kids from everything.

couponersunited by couponersunited | LAKE MARY, FL
Sep 24, 2009

I drive or walk my children to the bus stop every morning, (its about 1/4mi away) and walk to meet the bus in the afternoon. I don't trust anyone (even if I do live in a quiet, low crime area). I would never forgive myself if something were to happen. I enjoy the time spent with them too!

StephA by StephA | Manchester, CT
Sep 23, 2009

I am a child protective worker in Connecticut. Reports of neglect are made to the hotline all of the time in regards to children walking to school unaccompanied by an adult. There are a variety of factors to consider: the age of the child, the maturity of the child, the neighborhood and possible dangers in the neighborhood. As a youth, I walked 1/2 a mile to school with my younger sibling (age 8 to 12). My parents were not concerned for my safety.

momagarry by momagarry | MILWAUKEE, WI
Sep 23, 2009

Kids go to school out of their neighborhoods now. Therefore they need transportation.

msconfident by msconfident | racine, WI
Sep 22, 2009

when my childrens was in school i was really afraid that they would woul get kidnapped so i droved mines to school every day. now that was a relief for me.now they are all grown up now.

ndmomof4 by ndmomof4 | West Fargo, ND
Sep 22, 2009

My two youngest children walk to and from elementary school. They walk with a large group of friends/neighbors for the 4-block walk. I often walk with them in the morning and meet them halfway on their way home. Because I do home daycare it is not always possible for me to meet them as soon as they get out and I feel much safer having them walk home with their friends than to have them sit there alone in the school yard waiting for a ride if for some reason I were running late. Our home is a straight shot from school on a very open and well patrolled street, I feel completely safe in letting them walk.

pjkrotz by pjkrotz | Haverhill, MA
Sep 22, 2009

I have a 1 and 3 year old, so I am far from the time when I have to make this decision. I don't think I will allow my children to walk to school or take the bus. For the first, someone could take them or they could get run over. For the second, buses don't require seatbelts (last I knew) so I would prefer they be in our car with a sealbelt/airbags. Maybe I am overprotective because my children are so young and my thoughts will change as they get older, but for now my husband's schedule affords us the flexibility of driving them so we'll go with that. :-)

giggles3 by giggles3 | Toledo, OH
Sep 22, 2009

It really all depends the distance the home is from the school. I walked to my elementary school every single day because it was only one block away. If I had to walk more than 5 blocks to school I think my mother would've driven me to school which seems reasonable. If the kids want to walk or ride their bikes to school than by all means let them. Kids also might have friends that live near by that walk to school so parents can give kids the okay to walk wit hfriends if the yare really concerned about their safety.

L_camille by L_camille | INGLESIDE, TX
Sep 21, 2009

I wouldn't consider me or my husband OVER protective...but we watch the news, and all you see anymore is some sort of violence or kidnapping..so I would say absolutely no to walking to school...you just can't trust anyone anymore..

abmomof4 by abmomof4 | Lebanon, TN
Sep 20, 2009

My husband is in Law Enforcement on a local & national level. I hear of such accounts 1st hand. Let one of my 4 girls walk to school (only 4 min. ride in car)--I think not. Sheltered--not in the least. They'll have plenty of life experiences this just doesn't have to be one of them.

Twinsistax21 by Twinsistax21 | hagerstown , MD
Sep 20, 2009

Now I don't have any children of my own. So my opinion may change. I feel however that all this shielding we do of children is ill preparing them for when they have to go on with out us. I feel its better to let them get into little scraps and the uglier side of life when i can swoop in and help them through it.. then let them remain in a Gilded bubble thinking the world peaches an cream, to let them discover the ugly side of things when they are 22 and in their own apartment, and getting tricked into get rich quick scams, and running with people that only act like their friends. I would rather my kids be able to see a sleeze ball then blindly think everyone's got their best interests in mind. Now at the same time I'm not saying let your kids wonder alone to school but a small pack of children will be very safe.. and allow them to socialize a bit.

VBARRERA by VBARRERA | LA PUENTE, CA
Sep 20, 2009

I dont think kids should walk to school. I drive my children every day. Im just so scared of what might happen. I walked to school by myself in the third grade and I will never forget older men following me. trying to get my attention and me being so scared running home. I think God was always with me. I would talk to my mother about it and she never paid much attention. If back then the area I lived in was bad..Now, I cant even imagine. My husban dosent agree with me. He thinks im to protective. I dont care. This world is crazy!!

Sscristine by Sscristine | Plainville, MA
Sep 19, 2009

i personally don't think that kids should be walking to school by themselves. I started walking to school by myself when i was in the second grade and took the public bus with my sister to school when i was in 5th grade. I constantly looked over my shoulders to make sure no one was following us or even tried to kidnap us. Nowadays, with the abduction rate going up, more and more parents are concerned for their young ones. My brother is now 13 and he walks everyday in the afternoon but my mom does drop him off in the am and my five year old sister always gets driven back and forth.

laughtergirl by laughtergirl | Nazareth, PA
Sep 19, 2009

laughtergirlsays: Its funny years ago my husband and I would walk to school. It was no big deal... but today I drive my kids every day to school and my daughters school is only 4 blocks away from our house... ha ... Its to dangerous out their today to let a beautiful 9th grader walk by herself. :)

cathy825 by cathy825 | Hartford, CT
Sep 18, 2009

I don't think kids should walk to school or anywhere because, is very unsafe and you never know what might happen. Maybe you can watch them walk until you can't see them anymore but you never know what happens after that.