By Patrick Baron

NORMAL – Unit 5 is increasing the number of buses in the school district’s fleet.

The Unit 5 school board approved the purchase of two, 34 passenger wheelchair accessible buses at last night’s meeting. Superintendent Mark Daniel said the district needs to have a certain number of buses in its arsenal to get students to and from school safely.

“It’s mandatory that you have ten percent more than the actual runs that you have, so we’re fulfilling our obligation of having buses that are ready to hit the road, that are safe, and so forth,” Daniel explained.

Unit 5 currently has 145 buses in its fleet. The school board will examine the possibility of purchasing more buses in upcoming meetings.

After several middle school and high school students asked the school district to recognize Indigenous People’s Day, the board is taking steps to fulfill students’ wishes while following the law.

While state law requires schools honor Columbus Day, the district can assign Indigenous People’s Day as a commemorative holiday on any other day in the school calendar. As for getting the law changed, Superintendent Mark Daniel says the board can point students in the direction of lawmakers.

“We do teach students how to follow a democratic process: express yourself appropriately, express that here are all views, then it’s up to that individual student to make a decision just like we would have our adults do.”

Board members indicated they would want students in school on Indigenous People’s Day to learn about Native  American history and culture, rather than having a day off.

Patrick Baron can be reached at [email protected].