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Parents concerned after High School slashes school bus routes for their children

The school says they plan on sending out RTA monthly passes beginning September 1st and that they're committed to ensuring their kids have safe, reliable and stable transportation.

NEW ORLEANS- Every day when Anika Ofori 14 year old son and 16 year old daughter head off to school, she worries.

"My daughter came home today and she says she doesn't feel safe taking the public bus," Ofori said.

Ofori says her concerns started on August 10, during the school's orientation.

That's when she says she found out the school was cutting school bus routes to her home in the Upper 9th Ward.

"My biggest problem at first was just how the school handled it. Secondly, that they started issuing one way bus tickets that some children may need to take two, possibly three modes of public transportation," Ofori said.

"I'm not against no body else child and what they're doing, but I'm concerned about my child," Turner said.

"I'm not against no body else, child and what they're doing, but i'm concerned about my child."

Shantell Turner who lives in the lower 9th ward is also upset.

Her daughter is in the 11 th grade.

"Even if I wanted my child to ride the bus, finding out two days before school, was enough time for me to say okay, le tme show you how to ride the bus," Turner said.

Eyewitness News reached out to International High School. Leaders say last year the school had 6 buses.

This year, that number has been reduced to four because of a reduction in local or state education.

The school went on to say they're following the state mandate and that all students within a one mile radius receive either yellow bus transportation or RTA bus passes.

The school says they plan on sending out RTA monthly passes beginning September 1st and that they're committed to ensuring their kids have safe, reliable and stable transportation.

"To me what they're saying is going over my head. they still failed to let the parents know they were taking out the school buses," Turner said.

"How they need to show that is to restore our bus routes. Not tell us that in another week and a half our students will be provided the mandated bus fares to public transportation," Ofori said.

Caresse Jackman can be reached at cjackman@wwltv.com.

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