Introduction to the Incident
At the end of Zoe Fernandez’s first day of kindergarten, her teacher reported the 5-year-old had a great day and looked happy as she got on the yellow school bus. But when the slight girl, who is non-speaking and autistic, arrived home about an hour and a half later, she was stumbling. “Her eyes weren’t fully open,” her mom Sarah Fernandez said. “She was coughing. She was bright red.” Zoe curled up on the couch, immediately went to sleep and couldn’t be roused. She had a high fever. The pediatrician’s office told Fernandez to take her daughter directly to the emergency room.
The Cause of the Incident
Once Zoe’s condition stabilized, Fernandez started turning over what happened. The aide that escorts Zoey and six other disabled children on the bus offered a clue. “She kept saying, `It is too hot on the bus. It is extremely hot,’” Fernandez said. Fernandez was outraged. Why wasn’t there air conditioning? Why were Zoe and other children sitting on the bus so long? Were her daughter and others even offered water? Fernandez was shocked by what Chicago Public Schools officials told her: To ensure a spot on an air conditioned bus, Fernandez needed to get her daughter’s individualized education plan changed. That requires getting a doctor’s note and calling a meeting of school staff. Water can’t be offered to children on buses, she was told. State guidance says giving students drinks on a bus is a choking hazard.
Reaction from the Mother
Fernandez was beside herself. Her daughter, who has a rare chromosome duplication, is part of a program for children who have the most severe needs and illnesses. “How is this happening to kids who can’t advocate for themselves?” she said. “How are we allowing them to sit on a bus for an hour in 100 degrees heat and not providing them water on the bus. How many of those parents know their kids aren’t allowed to receive water on the bus? This is part of a bigger issue.”
Response from CPS Officials
CPS officials say they are continuing to “work on safely and efficiently transporting” the approximately 5% of the district’s 325,000 students who qualify for yellow bus service under state laws — children who are unhoused and in special education. Officials said they take concerns about medically fragile students “extremely seriously.” They acknowledged that not every bus is air conditioned, but if it is specified in legal documents that a student requires cool air, the district “ensures those accommodations are provided.” “We ask our school communities and eligible yellow bus rider families for patience during the first two weeks of school as we work through changes and new information,” the district said.
Previous Warnings
CPS was warned about the dangers of having buses that can sometimes be too hot and other times be too cold. “Chicago regularly experiences extreme heat and cold, sometimes in the same week,” said SEIU Local 73 official Trumaine Reeves at the April Board of Education meeting. “Many of the students using these services are among the most vulnerable, and some of them are non verbal…. They can’t express, I’m hot, I’m thirsty, I’m not comfortable.” CPS faces “significant liability should a student or staff member suffer from heat exhaustion or frostbite due to inadequate bus conditions,” Reeves said. Reeves said Thursday it seemed like his pleas weren’t heeded.
Ongoing Challenges
In recent years, the school district has struggled with providing bus service. Since the pandemic, there has been a nationwide bus driver shortage. At the same time, more students in CPS are getting special education services and are unhoused, leading to a spike in requests for transportation. Some 10,695 disabled students requested transportation at the beginning of last year — an increase of 50% over the previous year, according to CPS. That number has increased by 2,000 this year, CPS officials said Thursday. State guidelines call for students to be transported in under an hour, but every year there are reports of students on buses for longer.
Changes and Solutions
Fernandez said her daughter was on the yellow school bus with six other students and was the last one dropped off. Last year, she rode the bus with three other students. It’s unclear whether the increased number of students on the bus is due to this new transportation model or whether it contributed to Zoe’s long ride. Armed with a doctor’s note, Fernandez requested Zoe’s individualized education plan be changed to get her on a route with air conditioning. The meeting was held Thursday and she’s confident a change will be made. But she doesn’t want Zoe to be the only one helped. “I can’t feel peace just having Zoe’s way home fixed when this is something that happens,” she said. “The heat on these buses is not going away. Maybe it’s the end of the season now, but it’s going to happen again, and it’s just, it just blows my mind that this is allowed to occur.”
Conclusion
The incident involving Zoe Fernandez highlights a critical issue within the Chicago Public Schools system, particularly concerning the transportation of students with special needs. The lack of air conditioning on buses and the inability to provide water due to state guidelines pose significant risks to the health and well-being of these vulnerable students. It is essential for CPS to address these concerns promptly and work towards creating a safer, more accommodating environment for all students.
FAQs
- Q: What happened to Zoe Fernandez on her first day of kindergarten?
A: Zoe, a non-speaking autistic child, had a severe reaction after being on a hot school bus for an extended period, leading to a visit to the emergency room. - Q: Why wasn’t Zoe’s bus air-conditioned?
A: According to CPS, to ensure a spot on an air-conditioned bus, changes to a student’s individualized education plan are required, which involves getting a doctor’s note and a meeting with school staff. - Q: Can students be offered water on buses?
A: No, according to state guidance, giving students drinks on a bus is considered a choking hazard. - Q: What is CPS doing to address transportation issues for special needs students?
A: CPS officials stated they are working on safely and efficiently transporting students, taking concerns about medically fragile students seriously, and ensuring accommodations are provided as specified in legal documents. - Q: What can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future?
A: Prompt action is needed to address the lack of air conditioning on buses and the policy on not providing water, considering the health risks, especially for vulnerable students.
