DAYTON — City leaders and officials are calling for different busing options for students.
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Dayton Public Schools students use RTA buses and the downtown hub as a transfer station.
One woman said she has seen her fair share of violence at the bus hub.
“I mean, take it from me. I was here all last summer with all the shootouts and everything,” Merrie Hembre of Dayton.
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Hembre said she feels safe, but she’s aware of the issues with teenagers.
“I don’t think there should be more patrolling. I think there should just be more opportunities for teens to go. People should not give up on them, even though they think they’re a lost cause and everything,” Hembre said.
City and state leaders agree; they want a state amendment that bans students from being transferred to downtown bus stops.
This comes a week after an 18-year-old student, Alfred Hale, was killed near the RTA hub downtown.
“We don’t have a solution right now. That’s why we’re pushing this right now, to make sure we do this. We can’t continue to put our children in harm’s way,” Dayton Mayor Jeff Mims said.
DPS Board President Dr. Chrisondra Goodwine said she wishes every student could ride a school bus, but they don’t have the funding.
Goodwine sent a lengthy statement to News Center 7 that said in part:
“City leaders who are calling on DPS to “immediately stop’ bus transfers—without offering the legal authority, operational capacity, or funding to do so—are not helping. They are shifting the blame without providing solutions.”
Goodwine also mentions providing recreation facilities, mentorship programs, and more teen-focused investments.
She also added that the district does not control RTA routes or passengers or determine transfer points for students.
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