Questions are mounting over the Ottawa Catholic School Board’s decision to eliminate bus attendants for students with special needs this fall. The change is expected to impact roughly 100 students and their families. Bus attendants help support students with complex needs during the ride to and from school, including students with medical, behavioural and mobility needs. Jimmy Ruggiero says the decision has left parents scrambling for answers. “It was upsetting because number one, I didn’t expect it,” he said. “Also, the timing of everything was not the greatest. As a parent I am still trying to deal with it right now.” Earlier this week, Ruggiero received a letter from his son’s school saying the board would be “concluding its bus attendant service” beginning in September. It’s a support his nearly 18-year-old son Luca has relied on since elementary school to help him get to and from school safely. “What a difference it’s made for my son,” Ruggiero said. “He has an acquired brain injury from when he was young. He has medical complexities. He’s fully dependent in all areas of his life.” The letter says the board is “transitioning to a model where transportation support is coordinated through healthcare partners such as CHEO.” But CHEO tells CTV News in a statement, “It was not involved in the decision by the OCSB and became aware of the change after parents and families began reaching out with questions.” “That was extremely frustrating,” Ruggiero said. “It felt like a lot of the messages that were sent out weren’t accurate.” The decision is now facing scrutiny from disability rights advocates. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance says school boards have a legal obligation to accommodate the needs of students with disabilities. “If the school board has been providing this accommodation, they would have to prove why they suddenly decided the children don’t need it anymore,” said David Lepofsky, chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance. “The parents don’t have to prove they need it. The school board has to prove they don’t.” He added that the board had a duty to consult parents before reaching any decisions. The board says the decision was shaped by feedback from parents surveyed regarding service cancellation when bus attendants were unavailable. Saying majority of those who filled out the survey indicated they wanted their children to go to school even if attendants were unavailable, but many parents told CTV News they were never consulted about the cancellation of bus attendants. In a statement, the OCSB said “student safety and well-being remain our highest priorities” adding, “bus attendants are not healthcare professionals and are not responsible for providing medical care or medical assessments during transportation.” But Ruggiero says the concern isn’t medical treatment, it’s having another trained adult on the bus. “My son is non-verbal. He can’t communicate how he’s feeling. If he has a seizure, no one would really know,” he said. “My concern is that a bus driver has to focus on the road.” Ruggiero says the biggest frustration is the uncertainty, with September just months away. “We need clear communication from the board to know that we’re going to feel safe, knowing that our kids are not just pushed to the side,” he said.
