School Bus Concerns for Ozark City Schools
Chelsea WebbViewed: 2732
Posted by: Chelsea Webb
Date: Aug 26 2017 4:12 PM
OZARK, AL- With the new school year comes new obstacles for the Ozark City Schools.Parents have raised legit complaints on social media about their children becoming dehydrated and overheated on their ride home in the hot blazing summer heat.
And some parents have gone as far as signing a petition to ensure air conditioning is installed in the school buses.
"There is minimal air flow through the vehicles,” notes Dr. Rick McInturf, Ozark City Schools superintendent. “So when it gets really hot like it does in August, the issue of temperatures on the school buses comes up."
Alabama state law mandates all school buses be equipped with heaters, but only special needs buses are required to have air conditioning.
"The regular buses are not air conditioned,” explains Dr. McInturf. “They only have vents in the ceiling, and flow-through from the windows."
But keeping kids cool comes with a hefty price tag.
"To retrofit a single bus with air-conditioning is about $10,000. So, it's not a small amount of money that would be involved. In our case we have 37 route buses,” says Dr. McInturf. “We're losing money on the transportation system already. So, that's really not a consideration to put air conditioning on a regular route bus."
A/C on school buses can save our precious children. There has been a high rise of cases of children getting dehydrated after riding a school bus that has no A/C. Some children are being dropped off at their home’s SOAKED in sweat. The children have even started getting bad migraines and headaches.
Bus drivers are reporting, the buses get so hot their riders have passed out and have to be awaken for their let off.
In August 19 heat stroke or dehydration cases have been reported. This is something we need to stand up for.
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