Transportation Issues and Tdap Vaccination Addressed by MDUSD Board

Although the Clayton Valley High School Charter was the main topic for most of the meeting, other issues were addressed by the Mount Diablo School District’s board of education Tuesday.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Mike Mayo, a father of a special education student, addressed what he identified as a "severe transportation problem.”

School bus issue

“There have been children not picked up on time for school,” said Mayo. “There have been children not picked up at all — there have been children, mine included, who have been left four days in a row with no bus to get home," he said. "There have been children who have been delivered to the wrong school."

Mayo attributed the issue to a decision he said the board made last year "... to assume responsibility for busing students who previously had been bused under contract by the county office of education."

He added that the board has had 10 months of planning to make the transition "smooth and effective.”

Mayo said his son was left at school four days last week.

Mayo said he was able to pick up his son after work, but the child had to miss out on regional center programs scheduled to begin after his arrival from school.

“He missed out on all four of those sessions last week. That is a week where the services will never be back. That is a week (of) progress that he will never make,” Mayo said.

“We cannot leave kids at school,” said Board President Gary Eberhart after Mayo's complaint.

Eberhart added that he would like to know what improvements can be made to the transportation issue raised by Mayo when the board meets next, on Sept. 27.

Tdap vaccination

Mt. Diablo School District Superintendent Steven Lawrence reported on the district’s compliance with the new California law requiring students in seventh through 12th grade to have proof of a Tdap vaccination. 

Lawrence reported that 14,707 students have completed the necessary requirements. The district, however, has a total of 15,672 students, which means 965 students remain without proof of vaccination, he said.

Lawrence said the county health department will continue to give free vaccinations at its central Concord location on Fridays for the remainder of the month. If students do not bring in proof of the Tdap vaccination to the district or a waiver signed by a parent before the 30-day grace period is over, they will not be allowed to attend school until the requirements are completed.

To boost the number of students who comply with the law, Lawrence said, “We are going to start individually phoning these kids and their families and letting them know that they either have to get their Tdap verification in or complete the waiver process."

The meeting was held at Monte Gardens Elementary School, which is adjacent to the district’s office.