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View Full Version : Petitioning My College To Offer Student Bus Passes



Al Creed
2nd February 2004, 18:10
Where I live, it costs $2.10 to use the City bus. Bus Passes are $40 a MONTH, and transfers only last 2 Hours.

Now, I NEED the city bus, to get to school (As I am, for the moment anyway, Anti-Car), and this $2.10 a ride, KILLS me, a guy who is not "Gainfuly Empolyed" (Read: Wage Slave).

This equals $4.20 a day (Both ways), which equals $20 a week, which equals $630 a month I, and countless others, must pay.

There are two Post Secondary Education institudtions in my town, A University and a Community College. The University Students, are given a YEAR-ROUND bus pass, when most of those who use the bus live a 10 minute walk from the school, while those at the Community College (my school), have none, when ALOT of those who use the bus, come from a LONG way, to get there.

I see this as, well, WRONG.

So, I have decided to petition the College, both the President of the School and the Student Association, to strike a deal with the Bus company, to give us at the Community College who use the bus a break, and offer Student Bus Passes, as part of payment for attending the school.

If rich kids(who go to the University...I'm not making a generalization, I know how much it costs to get into there, and you have to be pretty financially secure) can get a break, so should we, who go to the community college.

I am also going to submit a column in my school's paper, urging students who:

a) NEED the Bus Pass

and/or

b) Would LIKE a bus pass

To write to the Student's association and the President of the college, to correct this grievous error. Most of the students there, paid to be there with their OWN money, ans hould get SOME kind of break.

I cannot let this issue sit, anymore. Sopmething MUST, MUST be done.

ComradeRed
2nd February 2004, 18:15
BAH! petitioning, the only wake up call they'll get is from a massive INSURECTION OF ALL STUDENTS! Rally them to your cause and do stuff or something, sorry lost my train of thought.

NO wait, Get them to your cause, then have a protest of some sort! Yes PROTEST!

Intifada
2nd February 2004, 18:22
yeah dude protest!

in the wise words of hua: "ON TO STREET!"

Al Creed
2nd February 2004, 18:32
Ah yes, my friends, "Protest" is Plan B, if the petition is not effective.

I'm treating these people as smart, good hearted people that I honestly hope they are. I will try my best to coax them into doing what is right through the written word (my greatest strength).

However, If that does not work, if they refuse, the next day, I will sit in the main lobby of the school, posterboard in hand, and will protest, and all those who wish to join (at my school) are more than welcome to join.

Trust me, as trivial as this might be, in the grand scheme of things, It is an important issue, and I will see this error rectified.

ComradeRed
2nd February 2004, 18:36
I believe lenin once said that petitioning was the trick of the capitalists to prevent the revolution, no wait, maybe it was reforms ;) can't remeber
But they won't care. RIOT, uprising, protests, this will make them listen! Protest, man, everybody's doing it...

Or go on a hunger strike! Yeah! Protest! Yeah! Don't petition!

Hegemonicretribution
2nd February 2004, 22:01
You are wise to go through the more mundane routes first. Don't turn the estabishment against you uneccesarily, if they are willing to be good about this, let them feel good. I wrote the politics, people power and being heard section in the youth advise leaflet in my country (well Island) I will publish it as soon as the board of directors finalises directing funding our way.... I don't think I am aloud to share much until it is online officially.

Anyway, If you have a community building day with them if possible, I am suer that a positive event with press coverage would be enough. If nothing happens after that newspaper coverage etc....

The trouble with going to extreme measure, or controversial ones, is that it is easy to twist your aims. Local press could side with anyone, and it may just be seen as young people being awkward. Even as a last resort you need to be very careful.

It is good to know thatyou are taking a positive attitude towards changing something that will benifit many people in your area. Well Done and keep up the good work.

Marxist in Nebraska
4th February 2004, 01:24
Al,

You have my emotional support, for what it is worth. Two-plus dollars for a bus ride strikes me as far too high, especially for a student. Petitioning is not a bad method of protest, but you have to make sure whoever your petitioning has to pay attention. I do not know if, maybe, you can try to get some media attention, etc...