CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Metropolitan School District faced threats of criminal action from the state over serious transportation safety violations that put students at risk.
A letter obtained by News 5 Investigators revealed the district failed to implement its own plan to fix transportation safety violations after being alerted by CMSD watchdog Polly Karr.
The problems were so serious that the state threatened to issue "supervisory criminal citations" against school officials and withhold transportation funding.
"The letter is shocking. The letter sends a clear message. Take care of this — or we're coming after the bosses," said Ken Trump, president of National School Safety and Security Services, a consulting firm based in Cleveland.
How students were put at risk
According to the December letter from the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce, CMSD bus drivers failed to conduct required pre-trip inspections, leaving buses with a range of safety and mechanical problems. The violations included missing First Aid kits, broken stop signs and lights, and emergency exit doors that don't work.
"These are things that are all avoidable, manageable and preventable," Trump said. "This is not a major rocket science task."
The letter also said evidence is missing that drivers are safe behind the wheel. It stated that, out of a small sample reviewed, some drivers had no record of training, no certificate showing they met age, physical, and other qualifications, and no Ohio ID, which is required for enrollment in the state's Rapback program. That program provides continuous criminal monitoring services that alert employees when an employee with a background check is arrested or convicted.
Trump said the failure to enroll employees in Rapback is a dangerous oversight gap.
"Schools could go weeks, months, years, without finding out that that person has picked up a criminal case and they're still driving kids," he said.
Dangerous drop-off, skipped bus stop
Angela Panzarello said she has seen how the district's transportation failures can affect students.
On the first day of school last year, she was recording a video when she watched her son's bus driver drop them off along busy Rocky River Drive. She said they were told to cross the street alone.
She said the driver left before her boys crossed the street and failed to use the bus's stop sign or flashing lights, as required by state law.
"This isn't supposed to happen," Panzarello said.
She said one of her 10-year-old twins has autism. Bus transportation is part of his Individualized Education Program. Panzarello said the situation was alarming, given her son Nico's needs.
"You can't tell an autistic kid, you're going to cross the street by yourself, he's going to take that so literally," she said.
Nico's brother, Ty, described what happened at the bus stop.
"I didn't know what to do in that moment," Ty said. "I knew I couldn't cross because all the cars were going too fast to notice me."
Panzarello reported what happened to CMSD, and the district promised to pick up Nico and Ty at the end of their driveway. That didn't happen.
"We were just skipped by the bus," Nico said.
"I felt like I wasn't meant to be at this school. Like, I didn't fit in," Ty said.
For a time, Panzarello biked with the boys to school, but she said she has her own health problems.
She is now teaching them at home and considering leaving Cleveland.
"It's just really horrifying to me," Panzarello said. "I don't know how we are ever going to get to a place where we can trust the district again."
CMSD response
News 5 requested an on-camera interview with CEO Warren Morgan, but, in an email, communications officer Jon Benedict said the district "won't be doing additional interviews about this."
Instead, Benedict provided us with the following statement:
"We take the provision of safe and reliable transportation extremely seriously. We work closely and regularly with the State’s DEW to ensure our transportation services are in compliance with State mandates. As the State has indicated, CMSD has submitted and is implementing a Corrective Action Plan that will address the State’s findings.”
Karr has raised concerns about the number of highly paid administrators and the low pay for employees who directly interact with students, including bus drivers.
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"Everybody's complaining about why we don't have bus drivers. Pay top dollar." she said.
At the same time, the district is consolidating schools, including closing 18 buildings, which means new transportation routes this fall.
Trump said that adds another layer of concern.
"We're looking at even higher risk for mishaps, glitches, things falling through the cracks," Trump said.
