Pender County Schools Address Driver Shortage

The Frederick County Board of Education faced significant public testimony regarding Policy 443, which supports students' rights to express their gender identity. Critics, including local parents, argued that the policy distracts from academic priorities, while supporters emphasized its grounding in current medical science. In Pender County, the school board discussed a continuing bus driver shortage, now at eight drivers short, which has led to an increased number of double and triple runs. Parents expressed frustration over the lack of clarity in the board's communication about transportation issues and criticized the firing of a local bus driver for refusing to drive a faulty vehicle. Meanwhile, the Boulder Valley school board reported progress on its $350 million capital construction bond, with several projects underway to improve educational facilities. Additionally, discussions in the JCPS District Four election included strategies to recruit more bus drivers and address broader community needs for students.