St. Joan Antida High School sues Milwaukee Public Schools over access to public transportation
MILWAUKEE -- St. Joan Antida High School is suing Milwaukee Public Schools over access to public transportation for the private school.
According to court documents, the school wants MPS to provide transportation for the 70 students at St. Joan Antida who live more than two miles from the school.
The lawsuit says this is required for both public and private school students because of Wisconsin law and MPS policy.
FOX6 News reached out to MPS on Tuesday, March 21st. A spokeswoman said they cannot comment on pending litigation.
Meanwhile, the president of St. Joan Antida has issued this statement to FOX6 News:
“Safe and reliable student transportation is a top priority for St. Joan Antida High School families and the leadership team of the school. State law requires that Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) provide transportation as a basic need for families living within the district. Without transportation, our families do not have the option to send their children to the school of their choice.
Unfortunately, MPS is not providing transportation to St. Joan Antida High School students, as it is obligated. Last Fall, with the assistance of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, we notified MPS through a notice of claim that it was our intention to ask the courts to enforce MPS’ obligation to meet the transportation needs of our students in the same manner that it does for other students attending both public and private schools.
It was our hope that MPS would respond by honoring its obligation. Unfortunately, MPS has denied our request and, therefore, we have no alternative but to pursue legal action. A lawsuit was filed on March 21.
It is our intent to achieve a fair resolution to this issue, utilizing the court system, so that our students and their families receive the same transportation benefits as those attending public city-wide high schools.”