Angry Chartiers Valley parents pack meeting as school board considers subcontracting out transportation services
SCOTT TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — Fired up parents packed into the Chartiers Valley school board meeting on Tuesday, almost all of them to push back on one of two controversial decisions the district is considering.
Dozens of people showed up, and many spoke out, defending the high school football coach and the district's bus drivers.
The Chartiers Valley School District is in contract negotiations and hasn't reached an agreement with its transportation employees. On Tuesday night, the school board voted 5-3 to approve a motion to look at subcontracting out transportation services.
"What price do you put on a child's safety? What price? I don't understand it," one speaker said.
"When the school district no longer has direct control over the services it is responsible for delivering, the parents no longer have direct access to the provider of that service," someone else said.
"It's so disheartening to think that you would want to turn your children, or turn these children, over to strangers," another speaker said.
School board member Louise Huehn said Tuesday's vote doesn't mean they're approving anything. "We're just looking," Huehn said.
The bus driver custodial contract expired in June and they have been negotiating since January 2024.
Tuesday's vote means the school district can accept bids to take over the work that is currently done by Chartiers Valley employees. About 65 jobs are hanging in the balance. Most are drivers while others are bus aides or mechanics.
"This is not a private equity firm. This is a school district with children where return on investment is measured with smiles in children and not with saving nickels and dimes," said bus driver Paul Harkender.
Driver Keith Schoeneman said they were "stunned" by the decision, saying, "It's like they're just throwing us aside."
Annie Briscoe, Pennsylvania State Education Association region advocacy coordinator, called it a "punch gut" for drivers.
"There were a lot of tears. Emotions are very high," Briscoe said.
"What we do now is focus on building awareness in the community. I think there's a lot of parents and community members who were not here tonight who didn't know the board was going to take this action against our drivers," Briscoe added.
A district spokesperson told KDKA-TV that they just want to see what companies can offer. Just because they're asking for bids doesn't mean they're going to accept one.
