TDSB defends decision to cancel buses but keep schools open
Posted February 2, 2015 2:58 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) was defending its decision Monday to cancel school buses while keeping schools open after a major snowfall in the GTA overnight, saying most TDSB students don’t rely on buses.
“We are an urban board,” stressed TDSB spokesperson Ryan Bird. “Ninety per cent of our students do not rely on school buses. (It’s a) very unique situation in Toronto, unlike other school boards in the GTA.
All Peel and Halton Public schools were closed, but Bird says they serve more rural areas.
Bird said fears that children would be left waiting for long-delayed buses also played into the decision.
“The decision to cancel buses this morning was primarily based on the fact that we didn’t want young kids…waiting at bus stops for a bus that could be an hour or two hours delayed (or) possibly might not come.”
The board also didn’t want to leave parents scrambling to find daycare or babysitters.
“We wanted to make sure the students had a place to come to during the day,” he said.
“The important thing to know for all parents across the TDSB, is that they have the final say on whether to send kids to school. If they don’t want to send kids to school on a day like this we completely understand.”
John Smith, President of Elementary School Teachers Federation, said he’s received several calls from teachers expressing safety concerns about their commutes to work.
He also noted that many TDSB teachers live outside of the city and travel from rural areas.
More to come
