Parents furious over New Jersey school district's busing plan ahead of school year
GLOUCESTER COUNTY, N.J. (CBS) — The Deptford School District is under fire again for its bus plan for the upcoming school year, which starts on Thursday. More parents are reaching out saying they are waiting to know how their child will get to school.
"It's the last day of summer and parents should be enjoying the day with their kids, and really, they're just stressed," Colleen Crawford said.
Crawford, whose 6-year-old daughter starts kindergarten, is more stressed about missing bus information than picking out Charlotte's dress.
The night before school starts, this mom of three doesn't have bus numbers for her children. Each child is assigned to different stops and Crawford worries she might have to pull her youngest from Pre-K if the district doesn't provide adequate transportation.
"I took off of work tomorrow [Thursday] and Friday because I know how much of a mess it'll be," Crawford said. "Not everyone has that luxury."
Despite Superintendent Kevin Kanauss telling CBS News Philadelphia on Tuesday that bus numbers and times would be updated overnight on Wednesday afternoon, parents of the district's 4,200 students were emailed a letter from the superintendent.
This time, it explained that student data had been deleted from the transportation software. Parents were urged to check the student portal after 5:30 a.m. daily for updated bus details.
"It's just disappointing, especially after a month ago we got dealt we're taking away the buses then three days later it was rescinded. I kind of expected...it was going to be rolled out and it would be perfect and it wasn't," Crawford said.
The Deptford Township School District reversed a plan in August to cut courtesy busing for students living within two to two and half miles from school.
Aside from missing bus information, some parents said their children face hazardous walking routes and long distances to bus stops.
Although the township council has no control over school decisions, Mayor Paul Medany criticized the district for notifying parents of these changes too late, leaving families unprepared.
