I've lived in Jericho most of my life. My parents bought a house in East Birchwood when I was in first grade.

I walked to school with the girl who lived next door. I was 6 1/2 and Helene was 7 1/2. My mother would stand in the middle of the street and watch me and Helene walk to the end of the block. When we turned the corner, out of sight, my mother would go back inside the house. I guess she felt I was safe.

When school was over, the bell would ring. And similar to the end of the movie Grease, when the students ran out of the school building when the dismissal bell rang, so did we. I would walk home with anyone who was going my way.

When I was in third grade, my friend Laurie and I would ride our bicycles in the F section of East Birchwood for hours. My mother didn't know exactly where I was. She felt I was "safe" riding my bike in the neighborhood. I'd get home around dinner time.

Times have certainly changed.

A few years ago, I bought a house five doors down from my mother. My elementary school-aged children are not allowed to walk to school by themselves. Nor are they allowed to use their bicycles without an adult present.

When the district policy on transportation was originally implemented times were different. It was safe for children to walk to school. Unfortunately, today it is not.

I don't know many parents who would allow their kindergartner, first, second, or even third grader to walk to school. Irrespective of the safety issue of crossing busy streets, it is not safe for the children to be alone. What if they are followed? What if a person tries to lure them into their vehicle?

About 10 years ago, such an instance happened. A man followed a girl home and rang the front door bell. Fortunately, the girl did not open the door. There was another situation where a man was riding in his car, stopping to talk to a group of boys.

Of course, there is safety in numbers, but with about 80 percent of the Jackson students being bused, there are less "walkers" available for the remaining 20 percent to walk with. But let's be real. There are no "walkers." There are "car-poolers."

Some people may argue that we don't have to be fearful, for it is indeed truly safe for the children to walk to school alone. Whether this fear is real or imagined, does it matter? In reality, parents do not allow their children to walk alone. If I let my second grader walk to school, would I still be able to get playdates for my child?

The designated elementary school bus stop is in front of my house. My neighbor who lives across the street from me may put her children on it. I can't. I miss the cut-off. Shouldn't my child have the same safety options as my neighbor?

The new transportation limits divided East Birchwood (as well as Princeton Park and West Birchwood) into "have" and "have-nots." Does this work in a community? Is this how we want our community portrayed?

Providing busing to all Jericho students has many advantages:

* all students would receive the equal opportunity of busing,

* additional buses would be utilized throughout the day for the middle school and high school students, providing additional runs (early morning high school run) and alleviating any overcrowding,

* there would be less traffic at the elementary schools, reducing the number of parents entering and leaving the school, thus tightening security, providing better monitoring,

* it would only enhance the Jericho image, emphasizing the safety of each and every student - with no one left out,

* perhaps even increasing the value of our community as well (keeping us competitive with our surrounding areas Syosset and Plainview that provide 100 percent busing).

There are approximately 2,919 students enrolled in the Jericho Schools, of which 185 (6 percent) are not eligible for busing.

Please help support each child. Let's all stand together as a community. Last year we all supported one another so that no one would lose their right to busing. This year, let's support each other again, but this time to provide the safety of busing to each child -- with no one left out!

Please vote for universal busing on May 15 at the Jericho High School from noon - 10 p.m.

Amy Ramson

East Birchwood, Jericho