Parents say a Fowlerville school bus driver took a punishment too far when he allegedly put up the windows and turned on the heat to deal with loud children.
According to the parent, it happened Wednesday when highs during the day reached the mid 80s.
The driver couldn't handle the loud students, according to the parent, so he made them put up the windows and turned on the heat.
According to the parent, the driver stood up the next day and apologized for losing control. After calling the superintendent, the parent was told the driver had been talked to.
Fowlerville Schools released this statement to 7 Action News.
It is accurate that we had an incident on a bus this week where the children were not meeting expectations for behavior and the substitute bus driver, using incredibly poor judgement, turned on the heat in the bus and ordered the windows closed. The incident lasted approximately 10 to 15 minutes in an effort to improve student behavior.
Once transportation officials were informed, administration immediately instructed the driver to turn off the heat and the driver complied immediately. The bus run was completed with all students being taken home without further incident.
I am not at liberty to discuss the disciplinary action taken due to privacy concerns but am confident that this type of decision will not be made in the future.
It is our goal to run a transportation department that keeps the best interest and safety of all of our students in mind. This incident, which is not defensible, should not reflect on the hard work and character of our other drivers who I know take great pride in the work they do every day.
