BUSHWICK, Brooklyn — All Brooklyn mother Tanya Little-John wants is for her 9-year old special needs daughter to be safely picked up and dropped off after a full day of school.
But she claims it’s not happening.
Little-John tells PIX11 News her daughter, Kennadi, who has Cerebral Palsy and a rare brain disorder, has been left behind by Happy Child Transportation so many times over the past few weeks that she has missed at least a month of school.
“The DOE neglected my daughter,” Little-John said.
The bus company is a vendor of the Department of Education (DOE) and said it follows policy when picking up and dropping off students.
Management at Happy Child Transportation said they can’t wait for any student who is not ready to go right on time, stating Kennadi was not picked up because she was not ready.
Community Advocate Tony Herbert stepped in to try and help get answers for Kennadi’s mother.
“This company has a contract with the city and doesn’t want to do its job,” Herbet said.
A spokesperson for the DOE released a statement:
“We are dedicated to providing safe, reliable transportation to all students. We have made several adjustments to the route and will continue working closely with the family, bus vendor and school to make additional changes as needed and ensure the individual needs of the student are being met.”
Little-John said she will continue being a voice for her daughter.
