LANCASTER, Pa. —
A Lancaster mother is pushing for change after her daughter with autism got out of school unnoticed for a second time last week.
Allaura Eby said she doesn’t think the School District of Lancaster is doing enough to keep her daughter safe after the little girl walked out of her elementary school with no one noticing.
“I’m ready for summer. I don’t want to be worried about my daughter and her safety while I am at work,” said Eby.
When Eby was at work last week, she got a call from her neighbor that her 8-year-old was at her neighbor’s house and not in school like she was supposed to be.
Gyanna, who is in second grade, walked away from the school unnoticed in January, too.
Last week, she made it to the corner of New Dorwart and Poplar streets.
“That’s quite a ways from Carter MacRae and the streets that she would have had to cross by herself, that’s crazy to think about,” said Eby. “I was frustrated. I’m angry, I’m worried. Was my daughter scared? Does she even know the severity of what’s going on?”
After the January incident, the school agreed to keep someone with Gyanna during transitions and in the hallways.
“Things that were supposed to be set in place to keep my daughter safe, those things were nowhere to be found,” said Eby.
The School District of Lancaster provided a statement that says student safety is its highest priority.
“We will continue to evaluate and strengthen our elopement prevention measures to help ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, while recognizing that these situations require ongoing attention and refinement,” said the district.
“The main change was to make sure that there is somebody with her at all times, no matter what,” said Eby.
The school district is facing a $35 million shortfall and furloughed dozens of staff members last week.
Next year’s budget calls for the addition of special education consultants at each of the district’s buildings to help with safety plans like this. It will cost more than $1 million.
