Presenter
Presented by Ms. Carlisle
Body
Whereas, prior to November 12th, 2004, an estimated 170 schoolchildren had to walk up to a mile and a half through unsafe areas simply to get to class at the New Homewood Elementary School; and
Whereas, the state had no mechanism to help these children and, by citing a law that school busing is only to be provided for a distance greater than one and a half miles if the children were exposed to unsafe traffic conditions, claimed it was not responsible for transportation if the acute danger came at the hands of violent criminals. It seemed the parents would have to choose between the safety and the education of their children; and
Whereas, the NAACP of Pittsburgh, the Guardians and the community surrounding the school saw this walk as an unacceptable risk and provided numerous volunteers to act as escorts for the vulnerable children as they traveled to school; and
Whereas, the cries of the community did not fall on death ears; and
Whereas, Mr. Fred Giles, a district manager for Laidlaw Transit, which operates more than 3,000 school buses in the Pittsburgh area contacted the Pittsburgh Public School to provide transportation for children to and from school.
Whereas, Mr. Giles, felt a need to assist the community and was able to provide a more sustainable solution. He selflessly offered the services of his company and convinced others to do the same, and by doing so he has provided safe busing for 170 children to school for the remainder of the school year at no cost to the school or its families.
Title
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby recognize and commend Fred Giles of Laidlaw Transit, Inc., the Guardians and the NAACP of Pittsburgh for their altruism as they nobly provided a necessary service to Homewood's schoolchildren and the Homewood community.