COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed an emergency motion today with the Ohio Supreme Court, seeking immediate action to resolve the ongoing busing crisis impacting charter and private school students in the Columbus City Schools district.
This filing follows a lawsuit initiated by Yost earlier this month, which aims to compel the district to fulfill its legal obligation to provide transportation services for eligible students. The district has been criticized for its refusal to comply, leaving many families in a challenging situation.
“Every day of inaction from Columbus Schools puts parents between a rock and a hard place,” Yost stated. “Parents are being forced to quit their jobs, rearrange their lives, and scramble for transportation, while the school board fails to meet its legal duties. This cannot wait – we need the court to act now.”
The emergency motion highlights a critical violation: the district’s ongoing refusal to transport students even after families have requested mediation to contest the decision not to provide transportation. According to state law, Columbus City Schools must reinstate transportation for any student challenging the decision while the mediation process is underway.
At the start of this school year, the district classified a significant number of eligible students as “impractical” to transport, leaving many families without safe and reliable options for getting their children to school.
Yost initially warned the district with a cease-and-desist letter on September 3, threatening legal action if they did not comply. Following the district’s inaction, he filed a lawsuit just two days later.
In his latest motion, Yost is requesting that the Supreme Court issue an immediate order mandating the Columbus School District to provide transportation for any student who has requested mediation or intends to do so while the lawsuit proceeds. This order would remain in effect until the court can render a final decision on the matter.
Yost emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that delays could hinder students’ chances of attending their preferred schools if the court takes too long to address the issue.
