Guest Post: E-mail to Superintendent Joshua Starr, "Everyone off the bus, now!"

The following e-mail was sent to a MCPS Transportation Manager and copied to Superintendent Joshua Starr (who is currently in China) and the principals of the two elementary schools involved.

[Identifying information redacted]

September 22, 2013

This letter is to inform you of an incident that took place on Friday, September 20 on the afternoon bus, #0000.

After several changes already this year with busses regarding the AAAA (my stop) and the BBBB stop, we were aware that we were going to be having a substitute bus driver on Friday, September 20 due to the passing of [the bus driver's family member].  With substitutes, we are prepared for minor delays, etc.  As I always do, I waited at our stop (AAAA) for my X grader and Y grader. The bus typically arrives at 4/4:05.  It was 4:15 and I was getting concerned.  I was at the stop with a grandmother (who is also always there to collect her grandchildren of varying ages) and another grandmother (who was covering for the mother who is usually there).  At 4:20, one of the kids from our bus stop came tearing down AAAA Road to tell us that all of the kids were up the road.  I looked up AAAA Road (away from CCCC Avenue) to see a group of about 15-20 kids crossing the street at AAAA and DDDD.  We three adults immediately walked up the hill to collect our children and to figure out what was going on.  The kids said that the bus dropped them at EEEE and FFFF (which is ½ mile from our stop).  They reported that this substitute bus driver demanded “Everyone off the bus, now!” 

This group of 17 children from the AAAA and BBBB stops (I understand other children also got off and walked home on their own – I know of at least two, so I’m unclear on how many children total were involved in this situation), were forced off the bus at a stop ½ mile from their homes with no adults present.  I immediately called North Chevy Chase, explained the situation to the secretary, Ms. Ruthie Sherling, who gave me Mr. Stapleton’s number. At 4:23, I called; the phone rang several times before a woman answered. I said I needed to speak to Mr. Stapleton immediately.  She said:  “He’s out for the weekend; you can call back on Monday.”  I said:  “I have an urgent situation and need to speak to someone in charge.”  She said:  “What do you want me to do about it?”  I said: “Well, I would like for you to listen to the situation and help me out.  I have 17 kids who were let off a ½ mile from their home, with no parents, some of them I don’t even know.”  She said:  “Well, I’m just the dispatcher, there’s no one here.  You can call Mr. Stapleton on Monday.”  After pushing a bit, she said she would call the bus driver. For what, I don’t know. 

Although many of the older children were making some good decisions given the situation, there was still confusion and panic because they didn’t know what was going on and were unsure what to do, because they are children!  The patrol (from the GGGG stop) took it upon herself to walk the rest of the group back to their homes, which is what they were doing when we encountered them at AAAA and DDDD, and I commend her for that. After getting nowhere with the transportation office, I essentially began triaging.   The grandparents took their respective children and I dismissed children whom I knew and trusted to get home. Even one new family, a X grader and X grader, who are always on their own getting on and off the bus were confused and awaiting adult instruction to get home.  Per my instructions, my X grade daughter and her friend, who was riding the bus home with her that day, walked a couple of younger children home.  And I personally took another X grade child, whom I know well, back to his stop where his mother was waiting, in a panic, and on the phone with Rosemary Hills principal.  This child was clearly upset and expressing his fear of riding the bus again. 

I shared the incident with both Ms. Ryan (via phone) and Ms. Stevens (in person at NCC’s back-to-school picnic) who were equally horrified by the situation and the response from the transportation office.

It is outrageous that this incident happened in the first place.  I have no idea what sort of experience is required or what sort of background checks are done on substitute drivers, but this is absolutely unacceptable and unsettling.  I have long been an advocate of having adult monitors on the bus, and this clearly makes a good case for that – had there been another adult, familiar with the route, familiar with the children, this would not have happened.   Perhaps even more outrageous and disturbing is that there was no one available to handle emergencies at 4:20 on a Friday afternoon.  No one even checked to ensure that all of the children on #0000 made it home.

I expect a prompt response about this situation in particular and assurances that this will not happen again.  I certainly hope that it won’t take a tragedy to ensure that additional safety measures are enacted.

Very sincerely,

MCPS Parent