WASHINGTON — Washington, LA – A decision to alter the transportation for Washington Elementary students has sparked concerns from parents and guardians, who worry the changes will place a burden on families already facing challenges.
Barbara Ford, who cares for her great-granddaughter after school, expressed her concern about the emotional toll the change could take on her great grandchild. "It makes me feel bad because it will depress the child, I know that," she said. Ford’s great-granddaughter has attended Washington Elementary her whole life and often stops by her great-grandmother’s house after school. Ford believes the change isn’t in the best interest of the children.
“She has always stopped and come by great-grandmom's house, and she’s been going to the school all her life. This is not right; they need to find another way," Ford explained.
Catherine Boyd, Ford’s daughter, is also concerned about how the changes will affect working parents. "I think about the other parents as well. You have parents trying to work, and now they have to drive further to get their kids to school. I can imagine the stress,” Boyd said.
The new transportation plan will require students from Washington Elementary to travel to one of four other schools: Palmetto Elementary, Grand Prairie Elementary, or Port Barre Elementary. Middle school students will be transported to Plaisance Middle School. This change has raised questions about how far students will have to travel each day.
In an attempt to understand the impact, we calculated the distance between Washington Elementary and the recommended schools using Washington Town Hall as a central hub. We selected Town Hall because all students reside in and around Washington and will be picked up from their homes by buses.
- Washington to Grand Prairie Elementary: approximately 11 miles.
- Washington to Port Barre Elementary: around 10 miles.
- Washington to Plaisance Middle School: roughly 10 miles.
- Washington to Palmetto Elementary: the longest commute at 14 miles.
Now these distances can vary. These are just estimations. It all depends where you live that will determine your actual traveled route.
These additional distances are causing frustration among local residents, who believe the changes will only add strain to families already dealing with long hours and challenging schedules.
Robert Lavergne, a Washington Elementary alumnus, voiced his frustration over the plan. "This makes me sick. It makes me sick. Already it's hard enough, and now you're going to bus them here and there. These kids have to wake up so early," Lavergne said.
Eunice Elementary and Opelousas Middle will also close its doors starting in the 2025-2026 school year.
