Latest news with #schoolsafety
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
S.T.A.R.T. Launches Back-to-School Effort for Protecting Students Year-Round from Active Threats on Ohio School Buses
Ohio-based company's training empowers drivers to recognize, prevent, and respond to active threats as students return to school. CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio, July 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With Ohio schools preparing for the return of students this fall, S.T.A.R.T. (School Transportation Active-Threat Response Training) is launching a targeted Back-to-School Active Threat Awareness Campaign to protect Ohio's 800,000+ daily student riders. The S.T.A.R.T. program trains drivers and transportation staff to recognize warning signs, de-escalate incidents, and conduct evasive maneuvers when necessary, filling a critical safety gap in school transportation. "This training is nothing short of exceptional, as the bus drivers, supervisors and aides truly appreciate the information and skills they acquire," said Dale L. Dickson, Director of the Licking County Educational Service Center. "I look forward to the day when S.T.A.R.T. training is mandated for every bus driver in Ohio, and in the nation,'' he added. "Back-to-school is just the beginning,'' said Jim Levine, CEO of S.T.A.R.T. "We're encouraging Ohio schools to build a year-round culture of readiness so every driver is prepared to protect students, whenever and wherever a threat may occur." Ohio law enforcement agencies are also encouraged to participate, reinforcing a coordinated community response to protecting students from active threats. Ohio districts interested in scheduling trainings can contact Maggie Verba at 216-245-3526 or visit for more details. About in 2015 by a former School Resource Officer who recognized a critical gap in student safety, S.T.A.R.T. (School Transportation Active-Threat Response Training) empowers school bus drivers and transportation staff to prevent, recognize, and respond to active threats. Based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, S.T.A.R.T. operates nationwide and delivers proprietary, hands-on, scenario-based training grounded in real-world experience to school districts and transportation providers. The organization is comprised of active-duty and former law enforcement officers, SWAT team members, U.S. Secret Service personnel, crisis intervention specialists, and mental health professionals. S.T.A.R.T. supports a year-round culture of preparedness from the moment students board the bus to the moment they return home. S.T.A.R.T. is a sponsor of both the Ohio Association for Pupil Transportation (OAPT) and the National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT), reinforcing its commitment to student transportation safety at the state and national levels. Media Contact:Mike LawsonS.T.A.R.T. Communications DirectorCell: 513-432-2358Email: mike@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE S.T.A.R.T.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
China is suppressing coverage of deadly attacks. Some people are complaining online
BEIJING (AP) — Late last month, a car struck children near an elementary school in an outlying district of Beijing, according to a Chinese news report. A four-sentence police statement said a 35-year-old male driver hit pedestrians due to 'improper operation' of the car. It didn't mention the school or that the victims included children. Photos of the aftermath, which showed a half-dozen people lying in the street, were scrubbed from China's closely controlled internet. 'We need the truth,' said one post on Weibo, a leading social media platform similar to X. The ruling Communist Party has expanded information control since leader Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, seeing it as a way to prevent unrest. More and more topics, from negative news about the economy to LGBTQ+ identity, have become subject to some form of censorship. In the past half year, mass attacks — in which a person kills or injures multiple people with a vehicle or knife — appear to have been added to the list. Some people in China are pushing back, complaining online in at least two cases in recent months after drivers hit pedestrians. The government may be trying to prevent copycat crimes, experts have said. Another motivation could be local authorities wanting to cover up when they fail to do so. A deadly case in November sparked a government reaction There was a spate of attacks last fall, but it's difficult to gauge whether they are increasing, given the dearth of information. The attacks weren't always a taboo topic. In the past, authorities released the basic details. Typically, the assailant was described as taking out their anger on society, often over financial losses. That appears to have changed following a particularly horrific case in November that killed 35 people in Zhuhai in southern China. Authorities said the driver was upset about a divorce settlement. Orders came from the very top — from Xi — to take steps to prevent similar attacks. Eight days later, an SUV hit students arriving at an elementary school in Hunan province. The number of injured — 30 children and adults — wasn't made public until nearly a month later when the driver was sentenced. The clampdown on information has tightened further since. In April, reports circulated online that a car had run into people outside a primary school in Jinhua city. At least three provincial state media outlets posted stories — but they were quickly taken down. To date, authorities haven't released any information. Censorship makes some people hungry for information Twelve days later, a fast-moving car veered off a street and into people at a bus stop in the city of Tengzhou in eastern China. Authorities said nothing. Videos of the May 4 crash were taken down from social media. The next day, online criticism of the silence began to appear. People said the police should release basic information such as the driver's identity and the number of casualties. A few defended the police, saying it happened on a holiday. 'If a few such precedents are set, and more local governments follow this way in the future, the rules of information disclosure may not be upheld and may be compromised,' Hu Xijin, the former editor of a state-owned newspaper, warned in a social media post. Local governments want to cover up news that reflects badly on them or their polices, said Jennifer Pan, a Stanford University professor who researches how political censorship and information manipulation work in the digital age. The central government sometimes has other priorities. 'When the issue gains attention despite local censorship efforts, the center has an incentive to preserve the legitimacy of the overall system through responsiveness and acknowledgement of the event and underlying issues,' she said in an email response. The details came out 48 hours after the crash. Six people had died, and it had not been an intentional attack: The driver was drunk, a state media report said. Police respond with quick statements that are short on details Since then, local authorities, at least in two cases in Beijing, seem to be taking a new approach: Issue a report quickly but with scant details. Eleven days after the drunk driving case, a car hit people outside an elementary school in Beijing on May 15. The Beijing Traffic Police issued a report within a few hours but left out that the location was near a school. It said only that four people had been injured when a car sideswiped pedestrians on Jian'an West Road, and that the driver had been detained. Authorities appeared to impose an information shutdown that evening. Police were stationed along the stretch of road and a person who appeared to be a neighborhood watch volunteer cautioned people in a nearby residential compound not to speak to strangers. Six weeks later, posts appeared online on June 26 saying a car had hit children in Miyun, about 60 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of central Beijing. One well-reputed media outlet, Caixin, reached area shop owners who said that children had been hit, and a hospital that confirmed it was treating some child victims. Whether it was an intentional act remains unclear. ___ Associated Press journalist Emily Wang Fujiyama contributed to this story.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Children will die walking to school - they have been thrown under the bus'
A council has been accused of "throwing children under the bus" after it said a bus route to and from school would be axed. Oxfordshire County Council will scrap the route taking pupils to and from Cassington and Bartholomew School in Eynsham this November following a review. A letter to parents seen by this newspaper says the council believes the journey to school – around two miles – is safely walkable. But parents have argued crossing the A40 and B449 - the recommended route - would be dangerous for children, citing dangers of speeding traffic and unsafe crossings with "extremely poor" visibility. Mum-of-two Catherine Chapman accused the council of 'throwing children under the bus on A40 whilst trying to save their own budget'. The damaged refuge (Image: Catherine Chapman) A lorry passes on the A40 (Image: Catherine Chapman) She said there have been instances of cars driving "at 70mph" through the village and added: "The route has no footpath and is actually a 30 mph zone (unlike the rest of Cassington and Eynsham). Mrs Chapman also criticised the refuge in the middle of the road not being up to standard, thanks to what appears to be a previous crash that has bent the railing. Assessments of the route, seen by this newspaper, were carried out in June, which Mrs Chapman argues would be at the lightest and sunniest time of the year. She said the council should look at what the crossing is like "at 8am on a foggy December morning". READ MORE: Mrs Chapman added: "The bottom line is: a child will die if this bus route goes, and that will be on the council. "Cassington is an incredible village; there was a previous attempt to get rid of this bus route, and that appeal won. Nothing has changed." Poor visibility (Image: Catherine Chapman) She said she is currently "pulling apart" the council's assessment, will be appealing the decision and accused the authority of "wasting money". Parents' concerns about safety were put to Oxfordshire County Council. A council spokesman said: "Oxfordshire County Council evaluates walking routes when it believes a safe alternative to home to school transport might be available. "The assessment of the route between Cassington and Bartholomew School found it to be safe for walking, a hard surface lane with minimal traffic. "Approximately 45 students will begin using the walking route from 3 November 2025 when existing home to school transport finishes. "Families of these children were sent a comprehensive report on 14 July detailing the assessments we made, including maps and photographs." This newspaper also asked about costs of running the service, but the council did not answer.
CBS News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to give address ahead of new school year
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is set to give his Opening of Schools address Tuesday morning ahead of the new school year. Carvalho's address comes after weeks of ramped-up immigration enforcement operations across the Los Angeles region, which have caused fear in the school community. At the end of the last school year, the LAUSD saw an increase in fear from students and parents about federal agents potentially targeting schools. During graduation season, parents feared attending their children's ceremonies due to the ICE raids. Carvalho reassured the district that schools and school-related events remained a safe place for students and said staff were trained on how to respond if federal agents did show up. As the new school year begins, more than 400,000 students will return to LAUSD schools across the Los Angeles area.
CTV News
18-07-2025
- CTV News
Calgary family ‘devastated' after 11-year-old autistic boy comes home from school with unexplained injuries
Eleven-year-old Purnayan Mohanta — known as Tirtha — came home from Pineridge School on May 29 with what his father described as 'brutal' injuries. A Calgary family is calling for an independent investigation after their non-verbal, autistic son returned home from school with multiple bruises, scratches and bite-like wounds. Eleven-year-old Purnayan Mohanta — known as Tirtha — came home from Pineridge School on May 29 with what his father described as 'brutal' injuries. 'We just saw these bloody scratches all over his body so brutally,' said Partha Mohanta, Tirtha's father. 'Our son left for school as a happy, healthy child and came home traumatized with severe injuries. The school has offered no clear explanation. We are devastated.' Injuries, July 18, 2025 The parents of an 11-year-old Calgary boy who is non-verbal and autistic are calling for an investigation into his injuries suffered May 29. (Mark Villanii, CTV News) According to his parents, Tirtha, who is non-verbal and in Grade 5, returned from school with several marks across his body — including his inner thigh, neck, chin and shoulder — along with apparent bite wounds on his arm. Mohanta says the family immediately sought medical attention. 'Based on the observation of our family doctor, we were told it appears he was physically hit or abused and that the bite mark on his shoulder and back 'could not have been done by himself' so somebody has done something.' Tirtha's mother, Mousumi Mohanta, said the discovery also left her devastated and has had to take a leave of absence from her work to now provide extra care for her son. 'As a parent, it is heartbreaking when I see my son with a lot of bruises, a lot of marks like this on his body,' she said. Injuries, July 18, 2025 Tirtha's mother, Mousumi Mohanta, said the discovery also left her devastated. (Mark Villani, CTV News) 'He is special. He is non-verbal. So I can feel as a mom the real pain he is going through. He is the most lovable person, not violent at all, he's very calm, loves to go outside, a good student, good listener, and learner so now we are seeking the truth.' Family frustrated The Mohanta family says they contacted Pineridge School and the Calgary Board of Education immediately after noticing the injuries. 'We talked to the front desk receptionist, and they said everybody's so busy, they didn't see our email that we sent,' said Mousumi. 'So our first impression was really frustrating for us, we felt so ignored.' Partha says multiple attempts were made to speak with the assistant principal, the principal, and the CBE area director. He says the school initially told him no staff observed the incident or saw any injuries. 'I was told by the school staff that no one has seen the incident. No one noticed these marks as well,' said Partha. 'My son often wears shorts to school so I was confused at how no one was even noticing these injuries on his legs, they were very, very much visible.' Partha adds that he was later told by Pineridge school staff that an educational assistant admitted to seeing the marks on Tirtha between 10:30 and 11 a.m. the day of the incident and reported it to a teacher — but the school never notified the parents. 'If anything unusual is seen from the kids, the school is supposed to contact the parents,' said Partha. 'If they don't get any suspected answer, they should contact Child Protective Services.' Mousumi says she also just wants to ensure schools are safe for all children — especially those who cannot speak for themselves. 'We need to assure that school can be a safe place for all children,' she said. 'Please take care of your kids. Do not ignore small, small reasons. Be serious about every case.' Autistic injuries, July 18 Note following investigation into injuries sustained by 11-year-old Calgary boy who is autistic and non-verbal. (Mark Villani, CTV Calgary) No incident observed: school board In a statement, the Calgary Board of Education said it conducted a 'comprehensive investigation' involving all school staff connected to the student, as well as the transportation service provider. 'No staff member observed any incident or interaction that could account for these injuries occurring at school,' the CBE said. 'The investigation also concluded that the class was adequately supervised.' The board says it remains in contact with the family and has developed a plan to support Tirtha's return to school in the fall. 'The school has been in contact with the Calgary Police Service. We remain willing to cooperate fully with any external agency, including CPS, should further information become available or should additional inquiries be initiated,' read the statement, 'We are committed to supporting Tirtha's safety, well-being, and educational needs moving forward.' CTV News has also reached out to Alberta's Ministry of Education for comment, but has yet to hear back. Investigation remains open: CPS The Calgary Police Service confirmed its child abuse unit has taken over the case. 'We appreciate the public's patience as we continue to investigate,' police said in a statement to CTV News. 'Investigations such as this can take additional time due to witness statements, medical and digital evidence.' The Mohanta family says it contacted police the same day the injuries were discovered but was told the school's internal findings showed no criminal activity. The hope from family members now is that the involvement of the child abuse unit will lead to a more thorough review. Systemic changes and accountability needed: Autism Calgary The executive director of Autism Calgary says the situation involving Tirtha reflects deeper systemic problems in Alberta's education system — particularly for students with complex needs. 'We've seen a substantial decline in resources provided to teachers to support students with diverse learning needs,' said Lyndon Parakin. 'It's gone from worrying about whether education goals are being met to worrying about whether your child will be safe.' Parakin says the loss of specialized supports, such as behavioural consultants and classroom therapists, has made it harder for teachers to meet the needs of autistic students — especially those who are non-verbal or have significant sensory and behavioural challenges. 'These are families that are struggling to keep their employment because their students are sent home on a regular basis,' he said. 'They come home often in a more diminished capacity than they went to school, and school is not proving to be a safe space for them.' He adds that recent changes to Alberta's mandated instructional hours are only making matters worse. This fall, all school divisions must meet new baseline requirements — 950 hours for Grades 1-9 and 1,000 hours for Grades 10-12 — limiting flexibility for school boards to offer modified schedules for students with complex needs. 'Instead of empowering educators to tailor hours and supports for kids who need a different kind of day, the government is locking everyone into a single standard,' said Parakin. 'It's removing individualized programming at a time when the system is already stretched.' He says the province needs to revisit its approach to inclusive education and introduce clear, enforceable standards around safety, staffing ratios, and the training required for working with high-needs children. 'It's not enough to say every child belongs in the classroom,' said Parakin. 'We need to ensure the classroom is equipped and the staff are prepared. Otherwise, we're setting these kids — and these families — up to fail.' Parakin is now calling on the province to launch an independent review of Alberta's inclusive education system and implement stronger accountability for how school boards respond to incidents involving vulnerable children. 'Our kids are suffering,' he said. Weekend rally planned The Mohanta family is planning a peaceful demonstration outside Calgary City Hall this weekend to raise awareness and demand a third-party investigation. The rally is scheduled for Sunday, July 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 800 Macleod Trail S.E. The event is open to the public and being organized through a Facebook event page. 'This is not just about our child — it's about ensuring that no other vulnerable student suffers this kind of trauma again,' said Partha. 'We're inviting all parents, educators and concerned citizens to stand with us.' The family says other parents have reached out with similar stories and are encouraging those affected to speak up.
