Howard County Students Robbed at Gunpoint while Walking Home from School

Please write to the Board of Education regarding concerns expressed below and others that may personally affect you in advance of this week’s public hearing on school bus cuts (Policy 5200). Below is a message that I emailed this morning. You can use this email address: BOE@hcpss.org 

Dear Board members, Chair Watts, Vice Chair Lu, and Superintendent Martirano:

This week two students were robbed at gunpoint as they walked home from school in Howard County around 3 PM on Wednesday. Those familiar with the incident note that these students were newly cut from school bus service.

Regardless of the particular circumstances of these two students, I think it is critical for you to reconsider the MANY students who were cut from school bus service this year that cannot follow the advice circulated by school officials this week. As seen in the screenshot, in response to this incident, school officials advised students to "Stick to well-traveled streets, avoid shortcuts through wooded areas . . ." I agree with this advice. Yet many students in Columbia are required on their way to school to use Columbia Association trails through heavily wooded areas, many of which are not well-traveled during school start and release hours.

Families have previously noted concerns about having students use these trails to get to school, but school bus service has not been returned to affected students.

I have testified in person to you about the high rates of sexual assault and abuse of minors, affecting approximately 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys (article attached) and my concerns about requiring students to walk routes with poor access to public help should an incident occur. We need to protect Howard County children.

I again implore you to reverse school bus cuts to children who have lost service under Policy 5200 revisions that were voted on in May 2022 without a prior public hearing.

Thanks in advance,

Corinne Happel, MD