Local Leaders Discuss Student Safety, Busing Solutions

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — NAACP met with local leaders Monday to discuss the future of public transportation for Dayton Public Schools.

The meeting comes after recent concerns regarding children safety arose following a string of incidents at bus stops in the city — including the deadly shooting of a Dunbar High School student last month.

“Students cannot be educated at our learning institutions, our high schools, if they don’t make it to school,” said Dr. Derrick Foward, NAACP Dayton Unit president Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. and Rep. Phil Plummer met with the NAACP Dayton Unit to discuss a wide array of potential short and long term solutions for students.

“There ought to be a way of transporting our kids safely from school to home, home to school,” said Tom Roberts, NAACP Dayton Unit second vice president.

At the state level, changes could uproot the ways Dayton Public Schools get their kids to the classroom.

“We heard from the legislature today that if the budget passes as it is today, there will be no bussing of students downtown,” said Foward. “DPS is going to have to make some kind of firm decisions working with the city of Dayton, not just DPS. That’s the whole reason we organized this meeting; to bring all the stakeholders together.”

An amendment to the Ohio legislature’s newest budget bill would prohibit schools from using urban hubs for student transit if passed.

One solution favored by many was a student-only hub at Welcome Stadium and the Ponitz Center.

Although several solutions were brought up, nothing has been finalized. Another meeting is scheduled to discuss the topic again in two weeks.