BOSTON — At a morning news conference, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu remembered Lens Joseph, the kindergartner who lost his life in April as he stepped off his school bus near his Hyde Park home.
“Lens Joseph was five years old. Full of joy, full of love, and he made everyone around him smile,” Wu said.
Joseph’s death compelled Wu and the School Superintendent to hire an independent audit of Boston school bus safety.
“The city of Boston will do everything in our power to make sure that every child is safe in our city,” Wu said.
Mayor Wu said Lens Joseph’s school bus driver should not have been on the road because his certification had expired that same day.
The Mayor said the city will adopt all of the report’s recommendations, including:
- Increased audit of drivers’ licenses and certifications
- Updated driver rosters
- Better driver training
- Strengthen safety provisions in collective bargaining agreement
In a statement, the transportation company, Transdev, said:
“Our entire Transdev community shares the commitment to do all we can to ensure this never happens again.”
At Boston City Hall, Lens Joseph’s father attended an afternoon hearing on the safety report.
Mayor Wu’s political opponents, Councilors Erin Murphy and Ed Flynn, called the meeting and believe the study does not go far enough.
“We have a failed system. And we know the state, it’s one of the reasons they wanted to put us into receivership,” Councilor Murphy said.
“The buck stops with the residents of Boston. The buck stops with the city of Boston. I believe the Boston Public School system transportation team is incapable of these duties. I think we need to be overseen by the state of Massachusetts,” Councilor Flynn said.
The attorney for the family of Lens Joseph released a statement on their behalf, saying in part:
“We appreciate this report and the hard work that went into it. Some very alarming deficiencies were identified. We remain hopeful that changes can be implemented to prevent any other future, horrific tragedies.”
The criminal investigation into the death of Lens Joseph is still open.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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