Fredericton girl with diabetes struggles for bus access

A family in Fredericton is struggling to get school bus transportation for their daughter, Alora, who has Type 1 diabetes. Alora is seven years old and loves school. However, her stepmother, Emma Lamey, has faced challenges in arranging her bus ride to Montgomery Street Elementary. Lamey contacted the Anglophone West School District after moving to Fredericton last October. The district expressed concerns about Alora's independence and required an educational assistant to accompany her on the bus. However, finding an assistant has proven difficult. By winter, there was still no solution in place, leaving Lamey frustrated and feeling unheard. In February, Lamey reached out to multiple officials, including the child and youth advocate and local representatives. The school district eventually found an assistant for Alora's afternoon bus ride but still hasn’t secured a morning assistant. The officials explained that staffing issues were delaying their ability to accommodate Alora. Lamey declined an alternative taxi service, hoping for a full bus ride instead. She has worked hard to educate the school about managing Alora's diabetes, but communication has been lacking. Lamey expressed concern for Alora's social life and emotional well-being, noting that the prolonged process has affected her daughter's self-esteem. Alora also wants to ride the bus with her friends. As Lamey said, "It's been a few rough years of trying to navigate through her diabetes," highlighting the difficulties many families face in securing support for children with special needs.