Oxford Area Community Schools has announced that the district will not be publishing this year’s bus schedules in the local newspaper or online.
“We’ve had a parent request not to publish that list in the newspaper for safety reasons,” Superintendent Virginia Brennan-Kyro informed school board members during a regular meeting.
She added that with the post-Columbine and post-911 world we live in, new precautions need to be taken.
“I think we really are in a different day and age then 10 years ago,” she said.
Assistant Superintendent Ron Franey confirmed that the district received the same request from a few parents and the goal is simply security.
“While no system is perfect, this will provide more confidentiality for the students, the bus routes and the times,” he said.
He also stated that not having the lists published will keep those outside the district from having free access to the information. “It just makes it harder for outsiders to obtain certain pieces of information.”
The decision was made almost a year ago after holding several administrative meetings and surveying schools around Oakland County for policy trends.
“There are many school districts who have moved away from publishing in the local paper,” said Brennan-Kyro.
Area children will once again be notified by postcards of their bus route. The mailing is scheduled to go out on Monday, August 18. Also, bus lists will be available at all school offices.
During Tuesday’s regular meeting, school board members voiced their support of the decision.
“I think that you guys did the right thing to support a few of the parents,” said board member Doug Myer.
“I don’t think it’s prudent that the time and location of my boys waiting to get on the bus be published,” added board member Anthony Giannola.
“Anybody who would need to know about it would be provided the information personally,” said Secretary Judy Kubina. “I don’t think it’s really necessary.”
Parents with questions about the bus routes can call either their children’s school offices, the transportation department at 248-969-1888, Superintendent Virginia Brennan-Kyro at 248-969-5003 or Assistant Superintendent Ron Franey at 248-969-5000.
The Oxford Leader filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the bus schedules on Tuesday, August 12, and we expect a response within the next 5 business days per state law.