No more yellow school buses outside North Royalton High School. At the end of the school day, it’s parents and friends in cars that await the students.
BILLOW: It’s a major inconvenience. Definitely wish the levy would have passed.
Bruce Billow’s son used to take the bus.
BILLOW: I had to leave work early, so I’m not getting paid to pick up my son.
Ohio schools are not required to transport high school students. But some parents, like Maria Santoro, think the district is trying to strong-arm the public with the move.
SANTORO: I believe they’re being a bunch of bullies and they’re trying to show us: this is their little ploy to scare us into passing the levy next time. They took away the buses, and most of the kids in North Royalton, if you’ve been around North Royalton, there’s no side walks. The kids that are going to have to walk to school, there’s a danger. They’re walking in the dark on the street.
BOROFF: Well, I’d prefer this to cutting teachers.
North Royalton Schools Superintendent Randy Boroff says eliminating the buses will save about $50,000 this school year.
BOROFF: Our job and our business is education, and it’s my feeling that we need to protect what happens in the classroom. It’s a service. It’s not mandated by the state, and it’s something we don’t have to provide.
Besides idling the buses, schools will now close earlier in the day, and students will have to pay to play sports.
The district also eliminated 17 non-teaching jobs.
As he watched the orderly progression of cars leave the parking lot, Superintendent Boroff said he’s taking some heat for the cuts.
BOROFF: (laughs) Enough to keep me warm on a cold day.
The district is expected to try to pass another levy on the May ballot.