New York – An area student with autism who recently needed medical attention after riding an overheated school bus is speaking out about the incident at City Hall.
Ahjaah Jewett was riding a yellow school bus for students with disabilities when she began to feel unwell, prompting her to call 911 for help. According to the teen:
” My tummy started hurting. I tried to tell the matron that I thought that I was going to throw up but no one understood me.”
Ahjaah has therefore taken her story public by speaking on the steps of City Hall, inadvertently becoming an advocate for her peers. She states:
“The other kids on the bus aren’t verbal like I am. I feel like I’m the only kid on the bus who can speak.”
The teen’s mother has indicated that the Department of Education has been receptive to finding a solution to the problem. Currently, federal law mandates that school buses for students with disabilities are required to have fully functioning air conditioning systems.
Now, Ahjaah has the support of a public advocate as well. The advocate has indicated that if the Department does not adhere to current regulation pertaining to air conditioning regulations, they should expect legal action to be brought against them by parents.
The original article by Lindsey Christ from Time Warner Cable News NY1 can be read here.