Mom sues Franklin Township schools over bus fees

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Lora Hoagland has mounds of coupons scattered across her kitchen table.

The Franklin Township mother of two lives on a fixed income and looks for savings where ever she can get them.

"I have a lot of coupons," she said with a sigh.

And now, the thrifty mother is a headliner in a lawsuit against Franklin Township Community Schools over bus fees.

The district contracted out their bus service this year, forcing parents to pay about $50 a month for a child to catch a ride daily to school.

"I went through every channel I could go through,” Hoagland said. “The township was not willing to move at all."

In the lawsuit, she's pushing for restored school bus service with no additional fees, along with restitution for all the money she and other parents have spent taking their kids to and from school.

"The Indiana constitution is very clear that public transportation is part of the public education," said Ron Frazier, Hoagland’s attorney.

Meanwhile, leaders for the township caught the attention of parents again, as frustration boiled over after the district agreed to purchase three new Dodge Chargers for police officers for the district.

"I'm not surprised,” Hoagland said. “The misappropriation of funds in this township has been going on for quite some time. It makes me very angry that the police cars take priority over our children."

Franklin Township Schools Superintendent Walter Bourke, in a statement on the district's website said the purchase had been put off for some time.

"Each of the vehicles that we plan to replace is eight years old, with exceptionally high mileage,” he said in the statement. “At our current rate, repair and maintenance costs exceed the cost of replacement every two-three years, and the rate is increasing.

“Our only choice is to replace the vehicles or do without. Our priorities dictate that it is time to replace them.”

The statement also notes that one of the patrol cars was bought using vending revenue, and the other two will be paid for from the school’s Rainy Day fund. In contrast, school buses must be paid for out of the Bus Replacement Fund, as mandated by the state.