Round Rock Independent School District board members voted to eliminate 17 bus routes for next school year in March, but parents and students at Deer Park Middle School aren't taking 'no' for an answer.
"Reinstate our buses, don't sacrifice our safety," protesters chanted as they marched the 1-mile route from their neighborhood park to Deer Park Middle School.
Parents and students said they hoped a peaceful protest would help change board members' minds.
The district decided to get rid of the routes, after new guardrails were installed and sidewalks laid, deeming the area nonhazardous.
"If you get an 'A' on a test and you pass the course, but I say 'No, you have to take that test again even though you got an 'A',' it's time to move on," RRISD spokeswoman JoyLynn Occhiuzzi said. "The situation with the buses is the routes don't qualify for hazardous transportation anymore and that's why they were eliminated."
Chris Campillo has several children who attend Deer Park.
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Protest
News 8's Karina Kling has one parents reaction to the district's decision to ban some bus routes.
 
Bus Route Conflict
As Kling reports, the district doesn't plan to change its mind, but parents and students aren't taking 'No' for an answer.
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"We are here to show this is not a safe route. There has been a death already on this route, and two weeks ago there was a kid hit by a car," she said.
Two weeks ago, Deer Park sixth grader Jake Wenzell and his friend, Austin, were testing out the bike route to school, when Austin was hit by a car.
"She pulled out and hit Austin and I carried him onto Anderson Mill," Wenzell said.
Wenzell said his friend suffered a broken nose, and is back in school. However, neither have ridden the route since.
"It seems really dangerous, because, if next we all have to walk to school or take our bikes to school, I think there will be a lot more people getting hit," Wenzell said.
Monica Gillespey, who planned the protest, said between the 40-mile-per-hour speed limit on Anderson Mill Road, and some kids having to cross the street, no more buses could equate to bad news.
"Our goal is to get our buses back," Gillespey said.
Without the protection Williamson County Sheriff's Officers provided for the protest, parents said 200-plus kids walking the route next year will likely result in a few more carpools.
News 8 has received more e-mails from concerned parents about other bus routes in RRISD getting the boot.
Parents and students from Deer Park plan to be at Thursday night's board meeting. District officials said it would be uncommon for board members to overturn their decision.
