Emma Jean Stephenson – 7/13/08

This page was last updated on July 13, 2008.

Don’t allow pupils to drive to school; Emma Jean Stephenson; Beaver County Times; July 13, 2008.

Below is a detailed critique of the letter.

“I would call these times a war of economics, and we must conserve.

“I remember during World War II when we had rationing of products to help our soldiers. We did it willingly and with pride.”

[RWC] Though I don’t for a second doubt Ms. Stephenson’s sincerity, let’s remember the rationing was not voluntary.

“Now, we must conserve for our own survival.

“One of the first places I can see a great waste is all the young people driving to school. This is countywide, and probably nationwide.

“There is a waiting list for permits to drive to school, and yet the state mandates that school buses pick up and drive these same children to school. I cringe every time the school bus stops in front of my house. My granddaughter drives to school because she wants to.”

[RWC] This has been true since the 1950s, except maybe for “the school bus stops in front of my house” stuff. When I rode the school bus, each bus had only two stops and they tended to be along “major” thoroughfares.

“This is such a waste of expensive gas that I would think it would behoove school boards to not let students drive to school. That would be the beginning of a tremendous saving of gasoline.”

[RWC] Let me get this straight. Ms. Stephenson can’t get her granddaughter to stop driving to school, so she wants the school board to step in?

Why do so many people see government as the solution to perceived problems? Has it occurred to Ms. Stephenson the price of gasoline will result in conservation all without the assistance of “school boards?”

In any case, you’ll note Ms. Stephenson didn’t provide any data to support her perception. For example, if kids who didn’t need to drive to school stopped, how much gas would be saved?

“Our young people have not learned to conserve in any way. I wonder what this generation would do if we had rationing. I know my generation can live through it. We did.”

[RWC] “Our young people have not learned to conserve in any way.” Who were their teachers?

“Can this young generation conserve? It would be interesting to see.”