An investigation is underway by Newark City Schools to investigate an allegation that a 3-year-old student was left alone on a school bus after the driver finished the route. The child was found safe by the mother.
There was about a four-minute gap after the bus driver stepped off the bus, from when the child was left sleeping on the bus to when his mother stepped on the bus and got him, said a spokesperson for the school district.
The child frequently rides the bus. Driving the child to the bus garage is the usual routine for the driver. Typically, after riding to the bus garage, their mother retrieves them, who also drives for the district.
Newark City Schools provides transportation for the siblings who attend a school outside the district, said a spokesperson.
According to the district, the driver failed to administer a post-trip inspection once her afternoon route was complete.
The child’s ten-year-old sister was allowed to sign off that the bus was clear, the student’s mother told 10TV. The driver did not follow up and check the bus.
The mother is upset and would like swift action taken against the driver. She claimed the driver did not do a good job. The mother claimed she reached out to the superintendent on several occasions to talk to the driver about the matter. The mother also stated she wanted the driver fired. The mother believed it was incompetence that caused her child to be left alone on a school bus.
According to the school district, the investigation concerning the incident is almost finished. The district said once the investigation is done, they will “appropriately discipline” the employee.
“We take student safety very seriously, and always stress the importance of drivers completing their regular post-trip inspections,” the district said.
