Jefferson Co. students: Listen to us to understand depths of transportation crisis | Opinion

Within the first few days of school, Jefferson County Public Schools experienced a transportation crisis. As we prepare to head back to the classroom and back on the bus, the past week pointed out how important it is to listen to the experiences of those most impacted by decisions regarding our schools, including bus drivers, educators, families, and students.

Within the Kentucky Student Voice Team, we collected student responses about their experiences on the first day of school, because we wanted to hear directly from them. They described being tired, upset, and confused. Many expressed concern for bus drivers. The three of us all had different experiences that day, and while we don’t speak for all JCPS students, the impact on students can’t be overstated. We want better not just for students, but for the educators and bus drivers that make up our school community, too.

In the past, I — NaMari, a JCPS high schooler — was the first one to arrive home. Slowly, I’d greet my siblings as the afternoon dragged on — eventually greeting my mother as she finished her last rounds dropping off other students as a Jefferson County Public School bus driver. The worst part of going home on the first day back at school was the realization that my mother worked a whole 5am-9pm shift with hardly any break. What was so heartbreaking was her being so tired, to the point where she could barely put a meal in the microwave but still did it, because she knew her kids had to eat. One of them was asleep for the night by that time and didn’t even see her. With this new system, the greatest fear is not just the fear that parents have when being worried about where their child is for hours, but for parents who work for JCPS not even being able to see their children, period. The solution to these kinds of situations is to first ask the people affected before a decision is made — in this case teachers, parents, students, and bus drivers.

Meanwhile, for me, Brianna, a senior, the day started off normally on the bus, but that started to change when we arrived at the depot. A five minute wait turned into a 15 minute wait. A 15 minute wait turned into 30 and so on, as we all started to realize we’d be late. I watched as the time turned to 7:40 and we were still waiting. In the afternoon, many kids were confused on their buses, so when the bus driver asked them for their stop and it didn’t match up, they were told not to get on the bus. However, even the three kids who did have the correct bus were told that the driver couldn’t go to their stop.

Something that would’ve helped this situation of bus drivers not receiving help would definitely be better communication. That communication should include the schools and administration to ensure every kid knew what they needed to know about getting home. The big takeaway I hope adults have is that students are people: people from different backgrounds and different home lives, but at the end of the day, they all deserve a chance at education from the school of their choice, regardless of distance. Transportation is important and should be treated as such, ensuring the safety of all students, in and out of the classroom. Bus drivers are essential for education and are not as replaceable as the district may think, and I hope they eventually see the importance of them.

As I, Aiden, a senior, watched this play out over the course of a week, I have seen and experienced great frustration with JCPS. While I feel privileged to have only been 45 minutes late to my stop that day, students much younger than me were undeniably more affected. I’ve experienced being separated from my parents, fighting off uncertainty, so I can only imagine the resilience it took for elementary schoolers to brave the bus bureaucracy, and how relieved parents were for their children to safely return home.

Collecting other student responses for the Kentucky Student Voice Team made me realize not only the extent of transportation issues, but also how willing students were to speak their minds about how this crisis impacted them and their families. Reading thoughts from students ranging in age from 9 to 17 made it clear that talking to stakeholders — educators, drivers, and students alike — is critical to ensuring our community and schools are supported. It’s vital to not get swept up by the politics and anger generated after this incident. We need to focus on supporting the systems that protect and uplift hardworking staff who are all united in a single goal: creating a safe space for students to learn.

NaMari Murdock is a student in the JCPS school system. Brianna Jones is a journalism student and senior in the JCPS school system. Aiden Vilo is a senior at Dupont Manual High School. He helps lead the Kentucky Student Voice Team’s storytelling and journalistic work.