Demagogue

George A. Bonanno, a Manhattan professor, was startled to learn that under New York City’s new school bus routes that took effect today he would have to deposit his two children at separate bus stops about a mile apart, at different times, only so they could be ferried to the same elementary school.

... Parents throughout the city offered up similar tales today, complaining of chaos, confusion, crowding and lateness.

... In Queens this morning, a group of parents who had received conflicting messages about whether their children would continue to receive school bus service staged a news conference at their bus stop; three city council members showed up, but the bus never did.

In Brooklyn, a bus to a middle school for gifted children was so crammed that some students were forced to stand in the aisle; one of them clocked Isabella Cipriano, 11, in the face with his book bag.

... The changed routes were the New York City Department of Education’s latest effort to cut costs; earlier this school year, officials said they hoped to save $20 million by consolidating routes.