School bus malfunction during heat wave worries mom of special-needs Ann Arbor student
Robin Eberts helps her son, James, off the Special Education bus outside of their house in Ann Arbor. The bus' air conditioning unit recently broke down.
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com
The bus, which transports about 9 students, is one of the air-conditioned buses meant for students who need help regulating their body heat. Earlier this week, the air conditioning on the bus malfunctioned, leaving Robin Eberts'’ son James struggling to regulate his body temperature.
Eberts said James was only on the bus for 15 minutes after school on Wednesday, when temperatures reached the mid-90s, but it took him an hour to cool down after he returned home.
James is a special-needs student who has occasional strokes and struggles regulating his body temperature, Eberts said.
“There’s just no way he can come on the bus when it’s that hot,” she said.
Tom Moore, transportation director for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, said the air conditioner on the bus is leaking Freon. Because the bus is under warranty, the unit has to be disassembled and repaired after school lets out next week.
Moore said he is looking at the other air-conditioned buses in the fleet to see if a switch can be made to help the affected riders.
“We’re reviewing student needs as it’s related to other air-conditioned buses and if we can make the switch necessary to accommodate her son with an air-conditioned bus,” Moore said.
Moore said transportation officials are informed of documented needs of students on special-needs buses. He said he had not received notification of James’ needs until a doctor’s note was put into his school file on Wednesday.
He said special accommodations for students who require attention is why more than one school bus may be spotted in neighborhoods picking up students.
“We really plan our routes based on student needs when it comes to special education,” he said. “That’s why you’ll see two buses in the same neighborhood — each bus might have different equipment and might be going to two different buildings.”
Eberts said not having the doctor’s note requiring James to be on an air-conditioned bus already on file with the district was an oversight on her part.
She said she appreciated transportation officials’ efforts to work with her now that the problem had been called to their attention.
“At least they’re trying,” she said, adding that if temperatures get too hot in the coming days, she’ll be able to pick her son up from school.
Through working with Eberts and James, Moore said the WISD had actually gotten a jump-start on working on transportation for summer school.
He said working through the issue and attempting to get the bus fixed gave officials the chance to review buses with air conditioning and conditions expected for the summer.
“It gave us the opportunity to make sure we’re meeting all students’ needs prior to (summer school starting up),” he said. “We’re all set up and good to go.”
Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Robin Eberts
Sun, Jun 12, 2011 : 10:10 p.m.
Also, the transportation department DID know the bus' A/C was broken when they sent our kids home on the 2 hottest days of the year. I found out on the 2nd day. they have called us for lesser problems, like when there is a delay in the bus' arrival time, but they made no attempt to call those 2 days. Given the option this parent would DEFINATELY have gone and picked my son up at school. I plan on calling the transportation department and telling them to call if there is a problem. They should have called all of the parents the first day. James is not the only child on that bus that requires the air conditioning. In terms of driving him all the time, that is completely unecesessary. In the 6 years he has been riding the bus, this is the first time there has ever been an issue where he was at risk.
Robin Eberts
Sun, Jun 12, 2011 : 10 p.m.
Thank you for your insight WalkingJoe! I am that parent and my son has severe heat regulation issues! It is not in any way a luxury for him to have air conditioning. His doctor wrote a note that listed several other reasons as well for the A/C. This is not a ludicrous demand. I resent the comments of those that don't read all the facts. Please check the article before you criticize others. It is indeed true that we are in general spoiled with certain luxuries in this country, but this is not one of them. I have had to order a medical device to keep my son cool in the summer because of his issues. I had similar issues as a child and could not sweat. Believe me, it was not fun living through summers with that issue and now that A/C is an option for our kids that need it, I will do anything to make sure my son does'nt suffer as I did! I think that's my job as a parent.
John B.
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 9:46 p.m.
To all of you folks complaining about this story's validity, the takeaways for readers I see are as follows: 1) If you have a child with special needs, make darn sure that you have the proper paperwork on file with the local AAPS bureaucracies regarding any/all of those special needs. Maybe ask you child's teacher or other advocate for help if necessary. 2) Don't assume that your Special Ed. child's needs are always being met adequately. Monitor, monitor, monitor. Ask questions. Observe. 3) You can catch more bees with honey than with vinegar.
Sallyxyz
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 6:36 p.m.
Buses, like any other mechanical mode of transportation, are going to break down, just like cars, just like trains, just like airplanes. Buses cannot be expected to run perfectly all the time under all conditions. That is just not reality. For a child with special needs that are this serious, the better way to transport him or her is by private automobile. Mom or dad needs to drive the student to and from school to ensure that the temperature of the vehicle NEVER exceeds what is appropriate. And if the air conditioning in the private car breaks down at an inopportune time, then no one else can be blamed.
John B.
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 9:29 p.m.
Baloney! The a/c was know to be inop. but they left the bus in service (for special Ed. students, no less!) when the heat index was around 100 and ozone action alerts were in place. They have a very large fleet of buses - either substitue another until you get that one fixed, or temporarily re-charge the a/c on the regular bus until you can get the 'free' warranty service. Using the excuse that they were jsut waiting for their free warranty service is baloney! (And I hope that bus' a/c system doesn't use freon as its refrigerant).
John B.
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 9:25 p.m.
...then Sally will drive him...!
WalkingJoe
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 7:10 p.m.
And what if the parents have to work outside of the home so that they can pay their bills?
Fat Bill
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 6:19 p.m.
The transportation department was aware of the problem, yet chose to run the bus anyway during an exceptionally hot period of time. Most transportation departments plan on breakdowns, and keep at least one special needs bus and a couple of conventional busses in reserve. The ISD runs the biggest transportation department in the county and is the hub for special needs/special education; the fact that they are just now using this incident to evaluate their fleet is disconcerting. Summer seems to happen around this time every year...
Fat Bill
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 11:50 p.m.
Right, pretty sure it is r-22, possibly even r-134a, though the A/C's in school busses aren't quite the same as those in cars...
John B.
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 9:33 p.m.
Precisely. Additionally, they could have had a mechanic temporarily recharge the a/c system as a stop-gap measure, although that should always be a last resort. Sounds like they were just lazy and wanted to wait for their 'free' warranty fix. And I assume that the a/c system in question doesn't use freon (as the article indicated)? That's R12, which hasn't been used for new passenger cars for a long time....
Dot
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 5:25 p.m.
As has been said, this isn't really a "news story". It is a parenting situation. I'm certain that if a news story was written about the battles that every parent chooses to take on for their children, and the choices that every parent makes for their children's sake, that people could find something to discredit, dispute or disrespect regarding the parent's choice. Why does A2.com put this out for the public to comment on? I don't know this women from Eve, but I'm sure that if she knew me, she (and the others making comments) could critique many things that I choose to do in my child's interest. As parents we deal with various situations practically every day. This mother is doing what she needs to do for her son. It doesn't matter if the rest of the world has air conditioning or if some children across the ocean don't have schools. In fact, it doesn't matter that many children don't have mothers to try and meet their needs - This mother is doing what she needs to do - day to day - to look out for her son's well-being. End of (non)story.
Macabre Sunset
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 5:11 p.m.
I hadn't heard of this condition, and it sounds terrible. My sympathies for the family. My question is how much a school district can be expected to spend on one student, though, no matter what the need. If, for example, a district were asked to provide an air-conditioned bus and an air-conditioned school, at the cost of hundreds of thousands (maybe millions), what would be the proper response? A special election? How does the student get from the bus into the school on a hot day? I would imagine the shock of going from air conditioning to the outside is a greater stress on his system than simply being outside in the heat. Is the school inviting liability by not providing a portable air-conditioned hallway?
Macabre Sunset
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 11:21 p.m.
That was productive. Always nice to see the straw men alive and strewn about the neighborhood.
John B.
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 9:21 p.m.
The best option for that theoretical situation might be to have the student in question stay at your house. What right-wing fear-mongering nonsense! You know as well as everyone else that your strawman argument is baloney.
jns131
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 2:36 p.m.
This is why I refuse to drive a special needs bus. Parents whine and complain when it gets hot like this and the system goes under. Happened to a bus I drove and I never heard the end of it. Get over it. We bus drivers get the brunt of it when you parents give us heck when something goes wrong with our buses. Drive them yourself instead of making it our problem. But, yes, because of federal funding we are stuck with children who need to keep cool under these conditions. So, in my opinion? This article was not worth writing because we bus drivers get it from both ends. Thanks for a reminder why I do not drive one of these buses.
Fat Bill
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 6:21 p.m.
Wow, jns131, it appears you are in need of a career change. Good luck this summer, let somebody who understands parental concerns and the honor of public service have your position, it doesn't appear to suit you.
thing1
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 5:11 p.m.
Thanks for enlightening the parents in the school district what type of people we are trusting to transport our children. Sorry to see the privatization rehiring process obviously left those with seniority instead of sincerity and the willingness to do a good job.
WalkingJoe
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 3:28 p.m.
In my opinion you shouldn't be driving a bus at all let alone a special needs bus.
seldon
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 2:15 p.m.
How is "weather hot, school accommodates medical condition of special needs student" a story? Seriously? Kyle?
Andrea
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 1:49 p.m.
Situations like this aren't about the children (or parents for that matter) being wimps. It's about a documented medical condition that some people are affected by. People who can't regulate their body temperature often have difficulties living their lives and don't experience life the way others do. My sister cannot control her body temperature and she rode our school districts first air conditioned bus because of it. Last week when it was so hot-she never left the air conditioned house (she's out of school now) because she could become ill with just a trip from the house to the car. Body temperature isn't something that should be messed around with. Seizures, heat stroke, strokes, and brain damage are just some of the things that can happen to those with this condition. Yes, it seems unfair to give some children air conditioned everything, but they have to have it. Could you imagine you or your child never being able to enjoy high or low tempatures because of health issues? Could you imagine a child never swimming outside, being stuck inside air conditioned buildings all summer while other children are enjoying outside activities during the summer? Never sledding or having snowball fights in the winter? That's the life of someone who can't regulate body tempature. It's not for the faint of heart.
johnnya2
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 5:49 p.m.
Andrea, The difference in this case is this parent never informed the school. I would hope your parents let any person who was responsible for your sisters care that she had special body temperature needs. The schools and others can not read minds.
1bit
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 3:10 p.m.
Fair enough, but I'm not sure the record high temperatures are that different from one-time events. The other thing I wonder is that if it is the bus were a great concern, why the family didn't notify the transportation officials until this week (maybe they notified the wrong person?) Or why not just drive the child to school themselves if they were concerned? I assume that your family made many accomodations for your sister, as do most with children with special needs. Please don't take this the wrong way, I am not intending to blame the child. I am thinking of this from a prevention standpoint as I think everyone involved would like to avoid a repeat occurrence. I appreciate your time and effort in explaining your family's experience.
Andrea
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.
Bit-My sister is now too old to go to school, but if we'd kept her home every time the temperature was higher or lower than what she could tolerate my mom couldn't have worked. When you have a special needs child it is virtually impossible to find child care for that child, so unless the parent can afford to miss work, the child has to ride the bus. Your analagy of a peanut allergy is a one time event, not a possible daily occurance. I understand what you're saying, but a field trip is a one time event, something easy enough to avoid.
1bit
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 2:03 p.m.
I agree with you. But as the heat wave was no surprise, don't you think the prudent thing would have been for the child to do what your sister did and not go to school? If my child has a severe peanut allergy, it would seem fairly silly of me to send them on a school field trip to the peanut factory. Anyway, lesson learned and the transportation officials responded appropriately when made aware of the child's condition and needs.
WalkingJoe
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 12:30 p.m.
Once again I am disheartened by some of the heartless comments that people post. If you read the article it stated that this child is special needs and it is a medical condition for him and not just a convenience. Do any of you remember that during heat waves the Weather Service issues warning to check on people who have trouble with health issues during times of extreme heat. This include the elderly and I dare say children like this young man.
DDOT1962
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 11:36 a.m.
Not to seem unsympathetic, because I have always wanted the best of what's available for my offspring also, but doesn't it seem as a society we're just a little too wealthy when we can demand air-conditioned vehicles be used to transport our childrend to and from school? 7/8ths of the world doesn't even know what air-conditioning is, let alone consume the resources required for its use. America could really use a reality check sometimes...
John B.
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 9:14 p.m.
DDOT, you could really use a reality check sometimes. He can stroke out due to the heat, as in dead. Sheesh. Great compassion there. Please, actually read the articles occasionally, rather than just the headlines. Johhny, the Mom is not or the warpath here. She's not suing the District over this. It's been addressed. Lighten up.
johnnya2
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 5:46 p.m.
Except this mother FAILED in her duty to inform the schools this was necessary for her son. I guess the school should just know this? Give me a break.
ypsiarbormom
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 11:53 a.m.
This mom is not demanding A/C as a luxury, the health problems of her special needs child make it necessary for him to be in A/C when the temps are 90+ and per doctors orders. This may seem like a luxury and a frivolous demand when actually it is a basic need to prevent things like seizures and heat stroke in individuals are are not able to regulate their body temp systems because of their special needs or disability.
KJMClark
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 11:28 a.m.
How about air conditioned classrooms? I was recently told that some AAPS elementary schools are completely air conditioned. So while in some schools kids were roasting during the recent heatwave, others were pretty comfortable. It gets worse because in all the recent renovations, the district has been sealing the windows shut in the schools that don't have air conditioning. Further, they've taken away the school's ability to control the little bit of ventilation equipment that's left. I'm told it's run by some central system and the school can only ask that something be turned on or off. My school recently had events in the gym at night, and we couldn't turn on the gym fans. Two requests had gone out to leave the fans on for the evening activities, but they shut off on schedule and we all just baked.
jcj
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 11:49 a.m.
Gotta agree with you on this one. It is inconceivable to me that we have such a double standard in this town. Either ALL schools should have AC or NONE!
Bob
Sat, Jun 11, 2011 : 11:01 a.m.
I'm looking for a story here. The parent is satisfied the district has responded appropriately, transportation is doing what they can. OK, next story - Possibility Of Rain . . .