Guilford County School officials are now saying that a possible walkout by bus drivers will not happen next week.
According to the Greensboro News & Record, Superintendent Sharon Contreras met with bus drivers Thursday morning to discuss concerns about student safety. All parties agreed to end a possible walkout.
Earlier this week, GCS had received nearly 150 time off requests for Monday and Tuesday of next week from bus drivers. It was part of an effort by some drivers to protest for higher wages and affordable benefits.
The district denied all requests.
"If children can't come to school, sometimes that's their only meal," said GCS spokesperson Janson Silvers. "Since we're only going to school two days next week, if we forgo those two days and they can't make it to school, that is one of our worries, is getting kids fed."
Board members approved $2 million in bonuses last month to go toward bus drivers. Silvers said drivers deserve better wages and that he hopes they will get them soon, but that they're in a difficult position because the state budget still isn't finalized and they're not getting enough money from the county.
"We can't fund ourselves, so we have to deal with the money that we have," he said.