Dear Board of Education Members,

I am writing you concerning the District's policy on student bicycling to school. This policy should not be interpreted to prohibit children under 10 from riding to school with their parents or other responsible adult. Unfortunately it has been interpreted by some schools to mean just that.

    A child's younger years are an excellent time for families to work together to instill positive attitudes and habits towards transportation and physical activity.  Under adult supervision a child can learn safe bicycling habits.  Please revise the District's policy so that it encourages, rather than discourages, families to work on these life skill together.

    I ask you to clarify the policy so that families are not intimidated out of biking together to school or else made to jump through hoops so as to prevent their kids from being labeled as rule breakers. 

    Because the District's policy, as currently written, has been interpreted in some cases in a very anti-bicycling way,I ask that the Board clarify the policy.Changes along the following lines would significantly clarify and improve the policy

"3) A pupil under the age of ten shall not ride a bicycle to school UNSUPERVISED.

a)The Principal MAY ALLOW A PUPIL UNDER THE AGE OF TEN TO RIDE TO SCHOOL UNSUPERVISED upon written request of a parent. 

b)The Principal may, LIMIT bicycles TO A RESTRICTED AREA ON school grounds."

I urge you to act quickly on this clarification of the policy. Lets encourage our kids to develop positive transportation habits. Lets encourage our kids to develop healthy athletic lifestyles.

Thank you,