Latham angered over Phelan bus ride

LYNN – Mayoral candidate Timothy Phelan?s decision to ride a Ford School bus carrying kindergartners to the early childhood center last week resulted in a bus company policy breach that angered the school superintendent and split Ford parents? views over the City Council president?s actions.Phelan acknowledged after the Wednesday morning ride that he did not contact Superintendent Catherine Latham for permission before boarding the bus for the crosstown ride to 90 Commercial St.?The superintendent called me about an hour later, we talked. I passed on my observations and told her, in hindsight, I should have called her first,” Phelan wrote in a statement.Electronic correspondence between school officials indicates Phelan?s ride angered Latham.?Dr. Latham was disturbed by the event and took cause to call Mr. Phelan and express her unhappiness to him for not having called to seek permission,” School Committee spokesman Thomas Iarrobino stated in an electronic mail Wednesday.In an email to Iarrobino, Latham wrote: “The bus company is very upset.”Phelan?s ride also drew criticism from Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy, who is also School Committee chairman.?He went on without the knowledge of the superintendent or the principal,” said Kennedy, who is facing a challenge from Phelan in the Nov. 5 election.Phelan in his statement indicated he asked to ride the morning bus route from Ford to the early childhood center to get “an objective, unbiased first-hand view” of how the month-old center and bus routes associated with it are operating.?I identified myself to the Ford teacher in charge as well as the bus driver and each gavetheir OK. It was fun and exciting,” he wrote.NRT Bus President John McCarthy said the bus driver relayed Phelan?s request to a company dispatcher, but said the dispatcher – who recently started her job – did not check the request with a company terminal manager.McCarthy said company policy restricts school bus riders to individuals who have been identified by the School Department as having permission to be on a bus. He stressed this is an NRT policy and not one set by the department.He said he reviewed company rules with the dispatcher and “she was written up and brought up to speed.”?Nothing says a city official can?t enter a school bus. If I was a driver and Tim Phelan asked to get on my bus, I probably – long story short – would have let him on that bus,” McCarthy said.But Mercedes Carrillo, mother of a 5-year-old and 6-year-old attending Ford, said Phelan?s ride raises concerns.?If he is a School Committee member who wanted to check the safety of my children, I agree, but a city councilor – I don?t know – he should have permission,” Carrillo said.Justin Caisse picks his 5-year-old nephew up at Ford every afternoon and said he is unconcerned about Phelan?s excursion.?I don?t see any harm in it; if he?s a good guy, he?s a good guy,” Caisse said.About 230 kindergartners ride on school day mornings from Ford, Tracy and Brickett schools to the early childhood center where they attend class and return to the three schools in the afternoon.The Commercial Street center and bus schedules arranged around are intended to ease overcrowding in the three schools. In addition to a driver, a monitor is also aboard the bus.Phelan in a statement acknowledged he “just showed up” at Ford to ride the kindergarten bus “so I could get an honest look and not any jaded viewpoints or opinions one way or another.”?I sat next to the monitor, the bus was clean and the kids were well-behaved and very engaging,” he said.Phelan said the ride left him impressed with the Ford kindergartners, their teachers and the bus disembarking process on Commercial Street.?I think my intent was good,” he said.