“Free fare is fair," according to the advocacy group Sunrise Movement Dallas, which is campaigning to make Dallas Area Rapid Transit free for K-12 students.
The group points to similar programs in cities including Austin and Seattle.
LaStarya Boyd is a Dallas ISD educator. Her daughter is also a student in the district.
Boyd says some students on her campus are experiencing homelessness, and they lack reliable transportation to get to school.
“They need a lot of people to check off boxes just for them to get to school," Boyd said. "And that’s not even a privilege. That’s supposed to be a right to all students.”
In May, the Dallas City Council passed a resolution in support of developing a free fare program for K-12 students.
Advocates with Sunrise Movement Dallas say DART implementing such a program would improve access to educational and extracurricular opportunities for underserved students.
Boyd agrees, and she supports the push for free transit rides for students.
“Some days they make it to school, some days they don’t,” Boyd said. “That affects attendance. If you’re missing days of school, you’re missing days of instruction.”
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