CLEVELAND — Cleveland mom Angela Panzarello says her busing issues with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District are now resolved.
On her kids' first day of school, Panzarello captured video of a CMSD bus driver leaving before helping her kids cross the busy Rocky River Drive.
RELATED: Cleveland mom says bus driver dropped kids off along busy Rocky River Drive
"It is part of the state law that they are supposed to drop the kids off and make sure they safely cross with the stop sign out and lights flashing," Panzarello said when she met with News 5's Caitlin Hunt at the end of August.
After she captured the video, a back-and-forth between Panzarello and CMSD began on how to get her children to school. A pick-up at the end of the Panzarello's driveway didn't work when the bus driver didn't show up. Then, CMSD pitched the idea that the bus would pick up the boys an hour before school began.
With bus transportation written into her autistic son's individualized education plan, Panzarello wanted to ensure that CMSD provided her children with transportation.
About two weeks ago, she received an in-person visit from CMSD's transportation director that would change things.
"We were out on Rocky River Drive waiting for the bus," Panzarello said. "A man was on the other side. He had a lanyard on, so I kind of expected he was with the school district."
The transportation director was quite surprised to find Panzarello and her sons on the opposite side of Rocky River.
"It became apparent why there was a misunderstanding," Panzarello said. "He was apparently looking at the map incorrectly of where we lived."
That's why the bus driver dropped the boys off on the wrong side of Rocky River Drive.
"It felt more like an issue with the school district making the route rather than the bus driver," Panzarello said. "We still weren't thrilled that she just left them on the side of the road."
Now, the boys are picked up on Rocky River Drive in the mornings and dropped off in the afternoons at a corner near their home.
In a statement, CMSD confirmed these changes happened just before our original story aired, saying:
"The transportation department met with the parent, and both parties agreed to a morning and afternoon stop. This remedy happened immediately and was resolved prior to the release of the original news story."
Panzarello said she is grateful that CMSD's transportation director took the time to visit in person to solve the matter. She encourages her fellow parents to continue to speak up for their children.
"Make sure you are heard," she said. "Until you are genuinely heard."
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