Pittsburgh Public Schools back to school event draws thousands, also brings frustration

PITTSBURGH — Thousands of free backpacks and other school supplies were provided to Pittsburgh Public Schools families on Friday.

For the second year, the district hosted a huge drive-through giveaway on the North Shore. Among the items being given away were school supplies, masks, hand sanitizer and food.

“We’re just glad that everybody here in Pittsburgh are coming together to say we want to help families and we want to help them for the first day of school,” said spokesperson Mercedes Williams.

The event was pulled off in partnership with PNC, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Penguins, United Way, Eat’n Park and Comcast.

“We’re excited our partners are out here, we have faculty and staff, we have teachers, we have principals that are out here volunteering, we have parents, board members, former board members,” said Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet.

The district also coordinated a bus stop giveaway, where two buses were scheduled to deliver goodies to 15 different stops from 11 a.m. to noon.

Channel 11, however, received numerous calls from parents after 12 p.m., claiming the buses hadn’t arrived.

We visited a stop in Brookline, where parents said they opted to visit the stop in order to avoid the chaos they experienced at last year’s North Shore event.

Eventually the bus did arrive at the stop, around 12:40 p.m. The district’s Facebook page is now filled with comments from angry parents, some saying a bus never arrived at certain stops at all and some saying the contents in the backpacks delivered to the bus stops was far less than what was given away at Heinz Field.

A district spokesperson said the buses did stop at each location and that the number of attendees at some stops exceeded expectations. Although the District advertised book bags were available while supplies last, District staff delivered additional book bags to six bus stops, where they received messages that families needed book bags. Families still in need of supplies or resources are encouraged to call the district at 412-529-HELP (4357).

A mom says the plan Pittsburgh Public Schools has in place to get students to classes will not work

©2021 Cox Media Group