‘No child left behind’ eludes bus drivers

Policy clarified after seventh-graders stranded twice

The end-of-day routine for Emily Hackman and Lauren Jackson at South Junior High School is supposed to be simple: Grab books from lockers, race to parking lot, catch bus No. 9 home.

But after just 16 days of school, the seventh-graders have been stranded twice at South by Laidlaw Transit drivers.

The girls were told Tuesday and last Wednesday that their school bus was full and that they should jump on No. 37. Both times, the alternate bus left South’s lot before the girls could make the connection.

To compound the problem, they were denied access to South’s office telephone to attempt to arrange transportation. Personal use of the office phone by students is prohibited by school policy.

“We were bribing people to use a cell phone,” said Hackman, 12.

They got home safely both times, but complaints about the situation prompted school district and Laidlaw officials Wednesday to clarify guidelines designed to prevent another episode of abandonment at South, 2734 La. Officials said they were unaware of similar problems at other schools.

Laidlaw now will require drivers with a bus at capacity to radio the substitute bus to confirm space is available for more passengers before redirecting any student to the back-up bus.

In addition, Laidlaw will transfer some of the 45 passengers off the crowded No. 9 and place them on other buses. It should make it less likely Hackman and Jackson or others will be confronted by a bus with no available seating.

Bob Osborn, Lawrence branch manager for Laidlaw, said the company accepted responsibility for the miscues.

“We made a mistake,” Osborn said. “This is not something that happens very often.”

He said there had been no similar reports this school year of children being left behind at other district schools.

Hackman’s mother, Catherine, said it was “encouraging” that Laidlaw was attempting to remedy the situation at South.

“I was just surprised that they kind of left two 12-year-old girls,” she said.

Hackman is a single parent and works at St. Joseph Health Center in Kansas City, Mo. It’s not realistic to expect she can leave work in the afternoon and drive 40 miles to Lawrence every time her daughter is left stranded by Laidlaw drivers, she said.

Rick Gammill, the district’s director of special operations, transportation and safety, said the new policy should resolve transportation woes at South.

He said the district would insist that Laidlaw transport all 1,600 students who are supposed to be on the buses safely to and from school.

“We will work with Laidlaw to make certain that it doesn’t happen again,” Gammill said.