Politics & Government

Local Mom Selling Stickers to Support Bus Stop Bill

Lower Saucon Township parent Paula Steuer has announced that she is selling bumper stickers and magnets in support of House Bill 1971, which would prevent children from walking past the home of a registered sex offender on their way to a school bus stop.

A  parent who vehemently opposes the current location of a bus stop in the northwestern corner of the school district has announced that she is selling bumper stickers and magnets in support of House Bill 1971, which would regulate the location of public school bus stops that are currently located near the homes of registered sex offenders in Pennsylvania.

The bill, which has been introduced by , would amend Section 1362 of the state's Public School Code.

It would "require that the Department of Transportation take into account the residences of registered sex offenders as provided by the Pennsylvania State Police in making its determination as to whether or not this constitutes a hazard to pupils," Simmons wrote in .

Find out what's happening in Hellertown-Lower Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Steuer and other parents who live on or near Moravia Street in Lower Saucon Township became concerned about their children's safety after.

The bus stop was subsequently moved again, but Steuer claims the neighborhood children who are picked up to attend Saucon Valley schools are still endangered by its proximity to the home of a registered sex offender.

Find out what's happening in Hellertown-Lower Sauconwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We find it unacceptable," Steuer said of the current bus stop location Dec. 10.

In an email forwarded to members of the media and others, she refuted .

A Right-To-Know request generated a list of 18 bus accident reports that occurred over a period of two years, "none of which were even remotely close to our area," Steuer stated, adding that the district "lied" about its claim that "the reason for you moving our bus stop to the new location was because the bus had been in several accidents and had to be rescued by the District."

"At the end of the day...Saucon Valley School District has decided to challenge the fate of our children by PROUDLY placing them in arms reach of a pedophile," she wrote in the email.

Yet in an August 2011 email signed by Steuer that was forwarded to a number of recipients by Saucon Valley superintendent Sandra Fellin on Dec. 13, Steuer appeared to agree with the assessment of the bus stop as unsafe during icy conditions, as well as the decision to move it to a different location.

"(Moving the bus stop) will also avoid the slippery slopes of Benner and Moravia (as we have all seen the frightful sight of the bus slide with our kids on it)," she wrote. "I will be honest with you, there is not a snowballs chance...that I can even TRY to get down Benner on those days. I think safety wise [it is] a good decision. Convenience wise...not so much. I am thinking (and I hope nobody kills me) it sounds like a good option as far as the safety issues go with the bus. Let's face it, it gets extremely icy up here."

Fellin prefaced the forwarded email with the following statement directed at Steuer: "I would like to share, in your own words, some supporting facts for the change in the bus stop to its current location. Dated August 18."

The stickers and magnets that are being sold are being offered "to help promote more awareness and help pass (HB1971)," Steuer said.

The bumper stickers are available for $5 each and the magnets are available for $3 each, and may be purchased by contacting Steuer via email at steuer1@verizon.net.

Steuer said the money raised by the sales of the items will help pay for a billboard advertisement that will feature the bumper sticker logo on it.

She also encouraged those who live outside of Simmons' legislative district to contact their state legislators to express support for the bill.


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