MADISON TOWNSHIP — The Ohio Association of Public School Employees, and several union representatives from across northeast Ohio, rallied Tuesday night across from the Madison Board of Education in support of the 54 bus drivers who lost their jobs as a result of the board’s decision to privatize busing.

The school board awarded a five-year contract to Community Bus Services. Board members said this decision will save the district $1.5 million.

As the rally ended, more than 200 former bus drivers, union representatives and supporters filled the cafeteria at the Madison High School for the Tuesday night Board of Education meeting to have their say on the board’s decision to privatize busing.

Board President Dave Albert, from a prepared statement, said the board understands the community’s concerns and that it is the board’s responsibility to the students and Madison taxpayers to determine ways to reduce operating costs whenever possible, while maintaining excellence in both bus services and education.

“I want to assure everyone here and in the community that the Madison Local Board of Education is within its authority to privatize our bus services,” Albert said. “Further, we are on very firm legal ground, despite the oft-used references to HB66.”

Albert said they also disclosed to the office the $300,000 in annual cost savings was not coming from the drivers’ compensation but from operating efficiencies gained through improved routing, maintenance, training and safety. He said the board cannot continue to be in the busing business and it diverts attention and valuable resources from providing quality education.

Albert said the board has provided opportunities for the bus drivers to be interviewed and rehired with Community Bus Services and suggested that drivers who have not received a callback, reapply to CBS. However, drivers claim that not even half of them have received callbacks from the company after their interviews.

“I must caution that if there must be legal posturing and a court battle, some savings of taxpayer money will be diverted and dissipated. This needn’t be the case, and I again assure you that your board of education is on firm legal ground,” Albert said.

Accusing the board of filibustering, Toni Rogers of Citizens for Smart Schools questioned the board’s decision to privatize, even after a showing of support for the bus drivers by federal, state and local officials.

“I believe you have placed this district in peril as far as litigation goes,” Rogers said. “If the board is thinking this isn’t going to go into litigation, then you are sadly mistaken.”