Parent tells Oxford Area SD board James Lane bus stop is unsafe, seeks written protocols

During the public‑comment portion of the April 21 meeting, parent Casey Tenorio told the Oxford Area School District board she has repeatedly reported unsafe conditions at the James Lane bus stop and that follow‑ups from transportation and administration were inadequate.

"Children continue to cross a busy road while drivers ignored the bus's red lights and stop sign," Tenorio said, recounting a prior near miss and saying state police and township officials had observed traffic violations but that the district’s response was slow. She said that in one case the district moved only her child to a different route — adding an hour to his commute — rather than addressing the stop location for all students.

Tenorio also said an on‑bus fight left her younger child punched in the face two weeks earlier and that transportation did not report that incident. She said a monitor was placed on the bus only after another parent reported the event, and that new rules were distributed with fewer than 30 days left in the school year.

She asked the board to explain the district’s written bus‑stop safety guidelines, to describe how stop safety reviews are conducted (and by whom), and to say when routes were last reviewed given fast growth in the area. "Student safety should not depend on persistence from parents," she said.

Board president noted the board’s practice of not answering questions during meetings and said written communications should be sent; he added the board had not received some of the emails Tenorio referenced. Tenorio said she lives in Lower Oxford Township. The board did not provide a substantive reply during the meeting but the superintendent later recommended follow‑up through transportation and administration.