TOUCH WRITTEN BY MICHELLE FISHER
on a school bus. Following the death of 7-year-old Isabella Herrera of Tam- pa, Fla., from a January 2012 choking incident, her parents, school officials and the public had many questions. Did improper wheelchair secure-
T 64 School Transportation News February 2013
here are more questions than answers in the latest lawsuit arising from the death of a disabled child
THE HUMAN
TRAINING AND COORDINATION ARE CRUCIAL TO SAFELY SECURING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
ment cause her to choke? Why did the bus driver and aide wait for the mother to call 911? Could special needs train- ing have prevented this tragedy? Te attorney who filed the lawsuit
for Isabella’s parents said her wheel- chair had been positioned improperly, causing her head to fall forward and cutting off airflow. Hillsborough County Public Schools officials have
since called for a review of special-ed- ucation policies and staff training. Since the lawsuit was filed on Nov. 1, HCPS has reassigned the special edu- cation department head, created a task force to examine that department and clarified its policy on calling 911. Attorney Peggy Burns of the
Education Compliance Group said the Herrera case is a reminder that
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