Blue Valley to ban e-scooters, motorized bikes for younger students on district property

OVERLAND PARK, KS (KCTV) - The Blue Valley School District is set to ban elementary and middle school students from having or riding e-scooters, motorized bikes and motos on district property beginning Jan. 1, following concerns about crashes and unsafe riding near schools.

District administrators presented an e-moto and e-scooter report at the Nov. 9 Board of Education meeting, where they outlined safety concerns and showed traffic camera footage of students riding near Blue Valley Middle School. The presentation included concerns about speeding on sidewalks, riding on elementary school playgrounds and collisions involving vehicles.

The report was listed under reports and discussion items on the board’s agenda. The district’s chief communications officer previously told KCTV5 that the change is an administrative decision and does not require a board vote.

Traditional bicycles and nonmotorized scooters will still be allowed and encouraged, according to the district. The new restriction applies to elementary and middle school students on district property; it is not a blanket ban on riding throughout the community.

Dan Carney, Blue Valley’s director of safety and security, told KCTV5 that the district began requiring permits for student motorized rides about 14 months ago. He said officials hoped the system would encourage accountability, but concerns continued.

“At the end of the day, the problem seemed to only be getting worse. And we saw a few more accidents close to our schools,” Carney said.

One crash that stood out to him involved a student on a scooter and a truck turning into an elementary school driveway. Carney said the student rode into the side of the truck, leaving a dent in the door. The student was wearing a helmet and did not suffer serious injuries, he said.

“When I saw that I was, I was just shocked because I thought, what would it take for me, like running full speed to put a dent like that on the side of a door, right?” Carney said.

Carney said the mix of student riders and cars during arrival and dismissal is a concern.

“It’s like rush hour for schools,” he said.

He also said younger riders may not be accustomed to navigating traffic or using devices that can reach higher speeds.

“They really aren’t used to the rules of the road. They’re not used to having that kind of speed at their fingertips,” he said.

A father’s perspective

Kris Blackwolf, a father of three, said he has seen young riders approach crosswalks while drivers are turning into school pickup and drop-off areas. He said his children do not have e-bikes or e-scooters.

“I’ve seen them blow through a crosswalk while cars are trying to turn into parent drop off pickup, and it about sends you into a stomach ache because they could get hit like that,” Blackwolf said.

Blackwolf said he has had to brake while driving because of riders near school traffic.

“It feels like they’re going pretty fast, almost as fast as the slow school zone traffic,” he said. “You know, like it’s scary.”

He said he understands why a motorized ride might appeal to families juggling multiple schedules, but he worries that younger children may not be ready to navigate the risks.

“Unfortunately, the younger kids, they just haven’t had enough life experience to have the little bit more wisdom of knowing their surroundings,” he said.

Carney said the district wanted to announce the change before the holidays so families considering buying a motorized ride for a child to take to school would know about the restriction.

A district representative also told KCTV5 that families need time to adjust their transportation plans. Families can explore bus transportation or carpooling; availability of bus seats may vary.

Carney said he does not expect the district to reverse the restriction for elementary and middle school students.

“I don’t see that happening,” he said. “I think wait till high school if that’s what you want to do, wait till high school.”

He said the district’s priority is preventing injuries.

“We want to protect the kids. Want to keep the kids safe,” Carney said. “You know I don’t want to see any more accidents. I’ve seen enough.”