A group of parents who are suing JCPS over its plan to cut transportation to most magnet and traditional schools are seeking a temporary restraining order that would block its implementation.
Two more parents of JCPS students who have accepted offers to attend magnet schools in Louisville joined the lawsuit this week, bringing the total to four parents. They claim the transportation plan approved by the Jefferson County Board of Education in April disproportionately impacts Black students. All of the parents in the lawsuit claim their kids will have to move to their resides schools if the cuts are implemented because they cannot afford private transportation.
A survey of JCPS families showed Black, Latino, multilingual and low-income magnet students are most likely to switch schools due to transportation cuts, the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting found this week.
Attorney Teddy Gordon, who’s representing the parents, said in a statement Wednesday night he was filing the request for a temporary restraining order because JCPS has not finalized its busing and student assignment plans for the upcoming school year, which begins Aug. 8.
"Considering that JCPS is sending out notices to parents and have not finalized the schools that the children are attending or the busing information, we are forced to file this motion for the TRO in order to insure [sic] that JCPS provides proper transportation for this year and for every year for disadvantaged children,” Gordon said.
JCPS sent an email to parents this week reminding them of the July 22 deadline for reporting a change in address. Parents have to inform the school district whether they have moved or plan to move before the start of the school year, so JCPS can designate appropriate bus stops.
This is the first year JCPS has instituted a “freeze period” before school starts when parents cannot change a student’s address on file. No additional students will be assigned buses and bus stops until the week of August 12, according to the school district. Officials say the change was necessary to ensure the transportation plan is effective and efficient during the first few days of school.
Last year, JCPS experienced extreme busing issues on the first day of school leading to panicked parents and renewed calls for reform by some elected officials.
JCPS spokesperson Carolyn Callahan said Thursday that the district’s legal team has not received nor reviewed the restraining order request yet.
In a memo supporting the request for a temporary restraining order, the JCPS parents argued the cuts to transportation for magnet and traditional schools shouldn’t be necessary after JCPS’s recent deal with Louisville’s public transit agency, TARC. The agreement will allow 70 TARC bus drivers who otherwise may have been laid off to transport JCPS students.
“This Honorable Court and more importantly the African American students attending or going to attend magnet and traditional schools can avoid further litigation by reinstating transportation to the African American students,” the memo states. “JCPS should be restrained and enjoined from implementation of the current student assignment plan.”
JCPS officials, including Superintendent Marty Pollio, have said the first priority for the influx of new drivers will be guaranteeing on-time services for students in their resides schools. The district may restore transportation for the “neediest” magnet school students, if there are enough drivers available.
