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Parent recounts wheelchair safety incidents on CCS buses, urges transparency and accountability
Summary
At the Columbus City Schools board meeting, parent Janelle May described two incidents in which her son—who uses a wheelchair—was found unsecured on district buses and said she received little follow-up from transportation. She and her husband called for an apology, improved training and clearer communication from the district.
Janelle May told the Columbus City Schools board that her son, who uses a wheelchair and has significant intellectual and developmental disabilities, slid out of his wheelchair during two separate district bus trips this school year and arrived home in a distressed and unsafe condition. "By the time he arrived home, he had slid down so far that he was out of his wheelchair seat and his chest strap was under his chin at his neck," May said during the public-comment portion of the Feb. 17 meeting.
May said the first incident occurred Sept. 4 and after meetings and some targeted training, a second incident followed in November, when her son came home with his chest strap completely unsecured. She said repeated calls and emails to transportation produced little information, and she characterized the district's communication as inadequate. "All CCS students and families deserve transparency, accountability, and timely communication, especially when it involves student safety," she told the board.
Her husband, Adam Cutright, who also spoke, asked for an apology and a clear explanation of any accountability measures. "We just want to make sure that the proper training is done. Make sure that the children are safe when they get home," he said, adding that the family would pursue media or legal options if necessary.
Dr. Chapman, in response, acknowledged the seriousness of the family's account and asked that district staff meet with the family that evening to follow up. The board said a district representative would take the family's contact information and connect them with transportation and other staff to address their concerns.
The meeting transcript does not record any specific remedial steps or findings from an internal investigation during the public session. The family said they had been told an internal investigation occurred but that they had not been informed of its results. The board's staff committed to follow up directly with the family. The district did not provide a detailed timeline or outcome of any investigation during the meeting.
