‘Positive change’
Dear Editor:
On the morning of Jan. 9, traffic outside Elora Public School was heavy, but not unusually so. What was unusual, and deeply troubling, was the level of impatience and aggression displayed by school buses navigating that congestion. One bus crossed into oncoming traffic to bypass a turning vehicle. Another honked aggressively and continuously behind our vehicle as we waited for a safe moment to turn into the parking lot, creating pressure to move before it was safe to do so.
Inside our car were two children trying to understand why the adults entrusted with safety appeared so angry. A seven-year-old asking through tears why someone was being “so mean.” A nine-year-old struggling to process why that behaviour was acceptable.
Our children are always watching. They are learning how adults respond when safety is compromised and whether their voices and experiences matter. They are seeking support and action from those adults in a position of power and authority. I want my children to know that their well-being is worth advocating for, and that those entrusted with their care will do everything possible to protect them. Moments like this matter. They shape how children understand safety, authority and whether speaking up leads to change or silence.
I chose to use this moment as a lesson: that when something doesn’t feel right, we don’t ignore it. We channel that feeling into action. We advocate. We try to make things better.
What this experience made clear is that this issue is bigger than one morning or one driver. It is about infrastructure, systems and pressure points that put everyone – drivers, pedestrians, and children – at risk. We need to do better.
That means prioritizing:
– safer pedestrian infrastructure around schools;
– clear communication and accountability for all bus drivers servicing school routes;
– dedicated student drop-off and pick-up lanes within in the school parking lot;
– widened school driveway to allow a right-turn lane onto Mill Street from the school parking lot; and
– road widening and a left-turn lane on Mill Street into the school parking lot to reduce congestion and unsafe manoeuvres.
Safety should never rely on patience alone. It should be built into the design of our communities.
Our children are watching how we respond when safety is compromised. Let them see that we choose care over convenience, responsibility over reaction, and positive action over silence.
Let us take these moments, however uncomfortable and turn them into positive change.
Kate Ann Vandermeer,
Elora
