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The Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) is reversing its decision to slash its school bus attendant program for students with disabilities.
Attendants are specially trained to supervise kids aboard the bus, including students who are non-verbal, require constant supervision or use wheelchairs.
About 100 students would have been affected, the board said earlier this month.
The original decision to cut the program as of this Thursday raised safety concerns for students with health challenges and for potentially distracting drivers who would have been more responsible for student care.
In a news release Tuesday, the OCSB said its board of trustees unanimously voted to rescind its previous decision.
Board chair Mark Mullan said in the release that trustees listened to those affected by the cut and how this support made a difference in the lives of their children.
WATCH | Displeasure with the original decision:
Ottawa’s Catholic school board is eliminating a program that helped special needs students on the bus
The Ottawa Catholic School Board says no attendants will be aboard school buses in September, affecting about 100 students. The board says it will continue to support students and address individual needs. CBC’s Justin Ball spoke with families who will be affected.
“We listened, we reflected, and we unanimously agreed that continuing bus attendant services is the right decision,” Mullan said.
Going forward, the OCSB said it will continue current support for eligible students, review staffing and recruitment strategies for the position, and communicate the decision to affected families.
On Wednesday, bus attendant Jennifer Hansen said she got a letter saying her position was reinstated.
“We were ecstatic, I mean we fought hard for the last three weeks to reverse this decision and our hard work paid off,” she said.
Some parents happy, but want answers
Danielle Scott is relieved that the OCSB is keeping bus attendants.
Scott’s son Bobby suffers from a seizure disorder and asthma. The initial news of the attendants being cut had her worried for her son’s safety, calling it “an accident waiting to happen.”
But Scott said she still wants answers on why the initial decision was made.
“We’re thankful that the decision has been reversed, but we need them to come to the table to tell us what guided them in this decision in the first place,” she said.