‘It’s not safe;’ Leaders meet, discuss transportation changes after student killed near bus stop

>>RELATED: 18-year-old high school student killed in downtown Dayton shooting

“Public Schools could no longer transfer kids downtown at the bus hub. We’ve seen where it’s not safe, it takes a long time for our kids to get to school, get back home, and it’s just not the right thing to do to our children,” State Representative Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) said.

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Officials from Dayton Public Schools said they are trying to figure out how to keep students safe while traveling to and from school.

DPS students have been using RTA buses and their transfer hubs for school transportation.

“Dayton has a unique set of circumstances. We have the Dayton Public School system responsible for transporting young people to some 90 different locations, in addition to the location that we have within Dayton Public Schools,” Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims said.

RTA representatives chose not to comment, but had suggested that the district provide buses for students and staggered school bell times.

Some city leaders have suggested changing transfer hubs to safer areas.

“Welcome Stadium was something they would do in the morning time. It would be a transfer point in the morning time. Honus could be a potential transfer point into the afternoon,” NAACP Dayton Unit President Derrick Forward said.

A short-term solution was not decided on at the meeting.

“Long-term solutions are going to be the financial aspect of it. We heard Dayton Public Schools needs new buses,” Plummer said.

Despite identifying multiple solutions, officials still need to make a decision.

The district said it will take them 18 months to get new school buses and getting drivers will take even longer.

Dayton Board of Education President Chrisondra Goodwine released a statement regarding the recent public commentary.

The family of Alfred Hale should be preparing for a graduation celebration—not a funeral. Our hearts are with them during this unimaginable time, and the Dayton Public School District mourns alongside them. No family should have to bury a child because the route to school became a place of violence.

This tragedy is not just a school issue—it is a citywide crisis. The City of Dayton must take responsibility for making the areas where our students and families live, work, and attend school safer—including our streets, neighborhoods, and downtown corridors. The burden of safety cannot fall on schools alone. Every sector— education, local government, law enforcement, transportation, and commerce—has a shared responsibility in ensuring that our city is not only livable, but truly thriving for everyone.

Recent statements made by city elected officials suggest that Dayton Public Schools is solely responsible for the systemic challenges in student transportation. That narrative is not only misleading—it is harmful. It oversimplifies the issue and ignores the very real legal and financial constraints placed on public school districts across Ohio.

Let us be clear:

• Ohio law mandates that Dayton Public Schools provide transportation not only for our students, but also for charter and private school students within our district boundaries.

• We do not have the legal authority to prioritize only DPS students under current law—and when we try, we are penalized by the state.

• While we would prefer to place every child on a yellow school bus, we currently do not have the staffing or funding capacity to do so

Because of these limitations, some students must use public transportation. The Greater Dayton RTA is not an educational partner—it is a public transit system governed by federal rules that ensure equitable access to all. While we do engage where possible to improve safety, DPS has no control over how RTA routes passengers or determines transfer points. These decisions are made solely by RTA based on their operational model and obligations to the general public.

The proposed state budget amendment to ban student transfers at the downtown RTA hub is a reactionary move that fails to address the underlying problems. It restricts student access to education and imposes further barriers on already vulnerable youth—without offering any alternative solutions.

If city leaders truly want to be solution-oriented, they could start by opening doors—literally. The City of Dayton owns recreational centers and buildings that are currently underutilized or vacant. These spaces could be made available to the district or afterschool partners as safe, structured environments tailored to teenagers— especially in a city where youth have limited access to activities that are engaging, safe, and empowering. Changing the trajectory for young people requires more than statements—it requires investment in their future.

At the same time, we call on the State of Ohio to change the laws that continue to create barriers to a better reality for our students. Allow public districts to serve their students first. Fund transportation adequately. And stop penalizing urban districts trying to meet modern-day challenges with outdated policies.

What we need is not blame, but real action:

• Legislative change that allows public school districts like DPS to focus solely on their enrolled students’ transportation needs.

• Adequate state funding to support driver recruitment, fleet expansion, and improved routing systems.

• Safer communities through coordinated efforts from law enforcement, public agencies, and local governments.

• A citywide commitment to youth by opening recreational facilities, expanding mentorship opportunities, and centering teen-focused investments.

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 blame without providing solutions. And they are doing so while ignoring the fact that DPS does not direct or manage how RTA transports any of its riders. We will always fight for our students.

We will continue to advocate for policies that prioritize student safety and equity. And we urge every level of government to work with us—not against us—if we are serious about honoring Alfred’s life with lasting, systemic change.

—  Board of Education President Chrisondra Goodwine

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