Parent says school won't let her pick up son since she doesn't have car

PASADENA, Texas (FOX 26) - Some people might say Daryan Godley goes above and beyond when it comes to her 6-year-old son’s education. She lost her car as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Her son is not offered bus service so she walks him to and from school every day. It takes her about 45 minutes each way.

What does Godley do when it’s raining or extremely cold?

“Sometimes I’ll Uber, but if I don’t have that, I’ll have an umbrella and bundle up the boys as much as I can,” said Godley. She has obviously proved to be a mother who will do what needs to be done.

“Yes, sir. His education is important,” added Godley.

Administrators at her son’s school, Fisher Elementary in the Pasadena Independent School District, said that they do what they must to keep the young students safe.

Long lines of vehicles each day gather when classes let out every school day. They are all parents waiting to pick up students.

Some parents received a letter from the school regarding students running out in front of cars and parents pulling out in front of cars.

“It’s happened enough times that it raised a red flag that it needed to be addressed,” said Pasadena ISD spokesman Art Del Barrio.

To avoid waiting in the long line, some parents were parking across the street to run over and pick up their children.

The letter states the following: 

We have also observed that a majority of parent walk ups have a car. Starting January 9th parent walk ups will no longer be an option.

So what if a parent doesn’t have a vehicle? What happens then?

“If a parent doesn’t have a vehicle, they can contact the principal and make arrangements with the principal,” said Del Barrio.

“I didn’t understand because I didn’t have a vehicle why couldn’t I just walk up and get my son, so I called the secretary,” explained Godley. “She said, 'If you don’t have a car, I can’t release your son to you.' That was absurd to me.”

Godley also said school administrators made her wait for 45 minutes after school on Tuesday before handing her son over.

“I’m a parent and I’d rather wait than risk having an accident with my child,” said Del Barrio.

But Godley feels she’s being penalized because she doesn’t have a car.

“I do and it hurts my feelings because what can you do?," asked Godley. "Life happens.”

It appears a crossing guard or a law enforcement officer at the crosswalk would fix the problem.

The district said the school has one from time to time.

But FOX 26 News did not observe any on duty on Wednesday and Godley said she has never seen one at the school.