NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A New Haven 4th grader, with special needs, has not been receiving the school bus service he is entitled to by state law, according to his mother, who spoke exclusively with FOX61 Monday.
Zioun Canady got off of his school bus Monday afternoon at his grandmother's house with a big smile. But his mom says the problem has been with the morning pick-up.
His bus has not come to pick him up any morning since school started two weeks ago, according to his mother Latyra Canady.
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She said that though she lives with her son Zioun elsewhere in the city, he is supposed to be picked up at his grandmother's every morning. And before this year, that has never been an issue.
"Ever since kindergarten he’s had a bus from here," said Latyra Canady, pointing to her mother's home.
She said she's been forced to give her son a ride every day because the school bus hasn't shown up.
"And my car just broke down like two weeks ago," she said. "So it wasn’t a problem then but now it is."
And it’s become upsetting to Zion, who is a student with special needs.
"The lady said the bus would be here in six minutes and then she couldn’t find a bus aid," said Zioun, who was happy to share his favorite subject in school is math.
Justin Harmon, a spokesperson for New Haven Public Schools, told FOX61 the transportation director is trying to figure out what happened. Harmon added that Zioun will be picked up in the morning moving forward.
Latyra Canady said while the secretary at her son's school has tried to be helpful, the bus company, Ohio-based First Student, has not.
"The person that answers I don’t know who it was but she was very nasty on the phone," she said.
As of early Monday evening, First Student had not responded to FOX61's request for comment on Zioun's mother's assertions.
And since her car broke down, Latyra Canady said she's taken Zioun to school on a city bus.
"And I have to get on two buses to bring him to school," she said.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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