After a stabbing incident on an EMTA bus ride home from school, the Erie School District collaborated with the Booker T Washington Center on a way to increase safety and security. At Wednesday night's Erie School Board meeting, a plan to bring on bus monitors was passed. 

"It's unfortunate that we're in the situation where we need it. The board and the district have been very proactive in increasing bus safety for all our bus users — both our yellow buses and those that ride on the EMTA. This one was through a partnership with the Booker T Washington Center. We had a long standing relationship with them and were able to come up with not just security guards so-to -peak, but more so mentors, adults who are going to be building relationships over time," President of the Erie School Board Jay Brenemen said. 

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Neal Brokman said the current plan is to have three  monitors to a bus each morning and afternoon. They'll also be trained.

“We’re going to get those individuals trained in the same de-escalation techniques that we use in the building, so there is common language. So, whether they’re on the bus, or in one of our building, you’re hearing the same kind of words coming from those adults to try to make sure everyone is safe and secure enroute to school,” Brokman said. 

Brockman said building relationships and garnering a trusting environment are key components to the plan. 

“The other thing is that we hope that these are individuals that the students know, and what we found is that oftentimes our students when they're familiar with a person, they're more willing to have that kind of conversation with that person. and let them know when something might be troubling them. Having that relationship —  that's one of the biggest things that we're trying here in the district, we're building as many relationships with families as we can. We want this to be a trusting relationship and so we'd like to bring that philosophy onto the school buses. and the EMTA buses as well,” Brokman said.