Local/State

Students abandoned by bus, walk to school

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Tags:

wake county, wake county schools, local/state, fred shropshire

RALEIGH -- More bus problems have hit the Wake County Schools System. Some students were forced to walk to school after their bus abandoned them at a school that was closed for a holiday.

"I was concerned. I was concerned," said Wake Schools parent Amy Swain. "Anything can happen when they start walking in a strange neighborhood."

One of Swain's biggest fears came true. Her ninth grader, A.J., and seventh grader, Jack, normally ride a regular bus, but Wednesday they had to take an express bus to Wake Young Men's Leadership Academy that was everything but express.

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"It was supposed to come at 6:15," said Amy Swain. "It came at 7:08."

"All I was worried about is getting to school," said A.J. Swain.

When the kids arrived at a closed Enloe High School to catch a connecting ride, the bus wasn't there. So, they started walking -- making it about two miles.

It is just the latest incident following a tumultuous month for Wake Schools.

In the first few weeks of a new calendar year, thousands of parents complained about their child's buses either showing up late or completing skipping stops.

"It's just not right for a driver whose responsibility it to take the kids from one place to their school to just drop them off," said Amy Swain.

Parents blamed a new choice assignment plan fueling a new assignment proposal.

Eventually, the system's transportation chief took the heat. Some believed he was forced to resign. Then Tuesday came a contentious vote from the school board to fire Superintendent Tony Tata after just 20 months on the job.

"I hope that, in the midst of all this, they'll make changes that make it safer for all the kids," said Amy Swain.