Parents, students angry after some school bus routes are cut in Pottstown
POTTSTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- Parents and students wanted answers Thursday after some school bus routes are cut in the Pottstown School District.
"My walk from here to school is entirely uphill," explained Pottstown High School Student Carice Peart. "In the winter when it's icy like sidewalks are icy, multiple people could get injured."
Carise and her parents found out two bus routes, including hers, were cut this year. They were angry that they found out on Friday, August 18. School started on Monday, August 21. Pottstown School District Director of Community Relations John Armato said officials only found out on Thursday after being notified by CMC Transportation Services, which transports district students.
Carice's father Brian said he heard problems with student discipline jeopardized the routes.
"She was on one of the buses that apparently there was some unruly behavior," he said. "I don't know the specifics as to the extent of it, but it was just one of those things where I thought it was being squashed."
However, CMD Transportation Supervisor Brian Clayton said the company received no support from the school district.
"I've driven the bus before, and there's been fights in the back of the bus, and we've turned the buses back around, went back to the school, and they usually keep those students right on the bus, and we are supposed to take them the rest of the way back to where they were going," Clayton said.
Clayton said the district does not have a contract with CMD. Therefore, district officials said they have little control over student behavior once the kids leave school. Individual families pay bus fares to the company. Armato agreed with Clayton that officials were working on a discipline contract that parents must sign.
"We will be doing that, and each student has an identification card, which they will need to get on the bus," Armato said.
Maddie Heidel also attended Pottstown High School. She was angry that cash-strapped parents had to pay for bus service at all.
"People cannot afford to bus their children. And now that there's no buses for most of the district, there's nothing for them to really do."
Armato and Clayton said that the district contacted a local charity to help families with bus fares.
District officials and bus company officials said Thursday they hope to come to some sort of resolution by sometime next week. But even then, the bus company may only restore one route.
Routes will continue to operate for students with special needs, elementary students, and students who must cross busy Route 100 to get to school.
