This week, a Pennsylvania school bus was covered with a stunning banner that prohibited pupils from speaking Spanish. This caused anger and led to the bus business being suspended.
A outraged parent from the Juniata County School District discovered a handwritten note that said, “Out of respect for English-only students, there will be NO speaking Spanish on this bus!”
The most recent statistics from the US Census shows that Juniata County is predominantly white, with 94% of the population identifying as white.
Hispanic and Latino people are the second largest racial group in the county, yet only 900 of the 23,500 residents in the county are classified as such.
It is unknown how long the notice was displayed inside the school bus. According to the U.S. Census statistics from 2020, there were more than 900 persons in Juniata County who were classified Hispanic or Latino at that time.
The sign was signed by “owner/management,” who is no longer allowed to work with the district.
Both the district and Rohrer Bus, which connects the school district with bus operators, refused to reveal the identity of the owner. However, both parties insisted that they were not involved with the sign in any way.
“Initial reports referencing the source of the note as “owner/management” create the perception that this note was authorized by representatives of Rohrer Bus,” the company stated on Saturday.
“We want to make it explicitly clear that Rohrer Bus did not author or endorse this statement in any way. Such language and sentiments are entirely contrary to our company’s values and commitment to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment for all students, families, and staff.”
The “transportation partner” did not disclose the name of the bus operator, but stated that it suspended the service “as a precautionary measure.”
Rohrer Bus and officials from the Juniata County School District have begun an inquiry into the event.
“Please know that we took immediate and appropriate action to address the situation. We are currently investigating the incident thoroughly and are ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to prevent something like this from happening again,” the district’s superintendent, Christie Holderman, stated on Saturday.
“We understand the gravity of this situation, and we apologize again for any concern it may have caused. Thank you for your continued support as we work through this matter.”
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The school system did not react right away to additional queries about what “immediate action” was taken.
Rohrer Bus intends to introduce further training sessions that will concentrate on diversity, equity, and inclusion in response to the occurrence.
