MUNSTER, Ind. (AP) - A state law is preventing Porter County Special Olympics from using school buses to transport its athletes.
Special Olympics coordinator Lorrie Woycik recently asked Valparaiso Community Schools to make arrangements to rent buses, The (Northwest Indiana) Times (https://bit.ly/2gK3vHc) reported. School district and Union Township officials told her that state law prohibits anyone other than students from traveling on school buses.
Democratic state Sen. Karen Tallian of Ogden Dunes researched the question at the group’s request and learned that the prohibition has been law for a number a years, but has apparently gone unnoticed. The law does have exceptions, but Special Olympics isn’t among them.
Woycik said the Porter County Special Olympics has about 500 participants who compete in many sports throughout the year.
Woycik said she was able to secure alternative busing from a church in Valparaiso for a recent bowling competition, but that the program can’t rely on the church to address its transportation needs.
Tallian said she plans to raise the issue to lawmakers when the legislative session begins in January.
“I’m going to see if I can’t get something done about this,” she said.
Lake County Special Olympics Coordinator Teresa Parker said she hasn’t had problems renting school buses she needs to transport athletes to various competitions.
“I’ve heard nothing,” she said. “I hope I don’t hear about it.”
Sue Vail, who serves as secretary/treasurer for the nine-county Northwest Indiana district, says she hasn’t heard about this issue surfacing anywhere else.
Valparaiso Community Schools didn’t respond to the newspaper’s calls for comment.
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Information from: The Times, https://www.nwitimes.com
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