The mother of a special-needs student spoke to the Durant Board of Education during a meeting last week and she asked them to change district policy and require a monitor on busses that transport special-needs students.
Melanie Knight asked that the school transportation department to revise its policy and require that monitor or aide be available at all times on busses that transport severe and profound special needs students.
“I’ve had some conversations before, so I wanted to answer some of the questions that were brought before me and I want to say that I understand I can’t speak on it but on January the 27th, there was an incident with my son that’s currently being investigated by the district attorney which is why I’m here to push for change and hope that something like this doesn’t happen again,” Knight said.
She said the new director of the district’s transportation department told her that the special-needs bus was originally made to transport 24 passengers and that two seats were removed, so now, it holds 18 passengers.
“On a general day, they have anywhere from six to 12 students on that bus,” Knight said. “Every day that my son has ridden the bus, aside from January 27th, there was the monitor available. I was told by (Superintendent) Mr. Moring that it was best practice, not policy to have to have a monitor. So, that’s why there wasn’t a problem with that decision being made. That’s why I would like to make it policy.”
Knight said that with specialeducation classrooms in the district, the qualifications of student to teacher ratio are 10 to one. “Every classroom below sixth grade has an assistant available as well, that’s two people per 10 students, according to our policy,” Knight said.
She said that the primary bus driver for her son is fantastic at his job and she could do nothing more than sing his praises.
“But aside from that, an uncertifi ed individual who is not made privy to the IEP (individualized education program) needs nor the diagnosis of the individuals on his bus is expected to effectively and safely transport students unassisted on most severe and profound students,” Knight said. “That there was a medi- cal emergency, it’s irrational to think that one individual could be able to keep all the other children safe and attend to the need of the one child. If there was a traffic incident, again, one individual with potentially only one exit, getting multiple students, including one that’s wheelchair bound off of a bus by his self effectively is likely not going to happen.
“Again, if there is a monitor on the bus with the severe and profound students, then there has to be no question as to what occurs on the bus or what would have not occurred on the bus because there is a second set of eyes there. So, I am asking that it be made policy that protects you guys as a district. This is the policy, this is what we do, no questions. It also protects us as a parent for me coming in and saying this is the only day that this aide was asked to not be on the bus and this occurred. There was no protection for me or my child because it wasn’t within the policy.”
According to Knight, Oklahoma Schools Superintendent Ryan Walter’s office will be meeting July 17 to hold a special vote for the legislature to update transportation policies to provide more protection for students.
“So, I understand that there is a formality I have to follow,” Knight said. “So, I ask that when you go and look at the policy, the first point that’s written in the policy, which is a very vague policy, is that the safety and well-being of the students will be considered first. Not the well being or look of the district, not the bus driver, not the transportation director, the student. So, when you go and look at it to consider this, I ask that you consider what you made in your first point which is the safety of the students.”
No action was taken by the board, however, board members praised Knight for expressing her concerns.
“I would like to thank Melanie for coming and sharing your thoughts and concerns and for everybody that came today to listen,” board member Joyce Northcutt said. “We appreciate that and the board appreciates that.”
Board member Chaz Polk said, “I know it’s something that’s important to you and sometimes it’s difficult to get up in front of a group and talk about it, so we appreciate that.”
Board President Paul Buntz agreed.
“I would like to thank you as well for your passion for that,” Buntz said.
