Mom fights school over bus stop location

Mom worried about ONE RSO's home. Yet she ignores that 95% of new sex crimes come from Non RSOs; how many of those homes will her child walk past?

8-21-2013 Virginia:

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - A Virginia Beach Mom contacted 10 On Your Side for help when she realized her daughter's school bus stop is located near potentially dangerous people.

Gina Brannon wants the Virginia Beach School District to move her daughter's bus stop so the 10-year-old doesn't have to walk past a registered sex offender's home.

"Its like dangling a carrot in front of a hungry animal," she told WAVY.com.

Brannon asked the her daughter's school to change the stop, but her request was denied. Virginia Beach Public Schools spoke with WAVY.com about the request.

"[Where the Brannon's want the bus to stop] is a cul de sac and would require a full-sized general education bus to perform a backing maneuver to make the additional stop, which is not in accordance with current policy and practice," said Lauren Wicks, a VB schools spokeswoman.

But Brannon says she's seen other school buses make the maneuver.

"There's a special education bus that comes every day and picks up a child, and it’s the same size bus, and it makes it through that cul de sac every time," Brannon said.

Wicks said the bus Brannon mentioned is not the same size as her daughter's bus; it's smaller. Wicks also pointed to the Student Code of Conduct to answer Brannon's complaint: "Parents or their designee should accompany their children to and from the school bus stop."

But Brannon says she has no choice.

"This year I started nursing school, and I have to be in school and cannot let her walk down to that bus stop by herself," Brannon said.

Brannon says she will ask the school board to reconsider her request and to consider avoiding sex offenders' homes when planning bus stops.

A simple internet search shows where sex offenders live, but Virginia Beach schools said the district is so large, it is impossible for all bus stops to be located in a place where no children have to walk past their homes.

However, Newport News' school district strategically plans bus stops in consideration of where sex offenders live. Brannon thinks its time for Virginia Beach to get on board and hopes other parents agree.

"[I hope other parents] voice their concerns and make it happen," she said. ..Source.. by Stephanie Harris