four-year-old special needs child left on bus -- ALL DAY

insane - this bus needs a new drive. later in the year and this could have been very, very bad.

http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=10146134

 

Man, that made me shiver.

 

Mistakes happen.

But in this case, it's firable.

 

especially considering that one of the things each driver is supposed to do is a walkthrough.

 

How do you not notice? Was the kid taking a nap or something? I don't get it...

 

A few comments...

If the child is four, I am guessing this was a Head Start program. There should have been a call made home after about an hour to verify the absent child. Was the call made? If so, where did it go?

The driver should have walked the bus. No excuse for that.

This shit happens more than you would think. Usually not to start the day though. Usually it is when taking the child home.

The parents should not be blabbing that their child is special needs. No way does the school offer that information up.

 

They fall asleep laying in the seat. It happens a lot.

 

That makes sense...but like you and jps said, what about a walkthrough?

 

Busdrivers sometimes are not the best and brightest employees. Most are great, but some just plain suck.

 

like the mom said in the story - you can't do your job, just stay home. bus driver is responsible for those kids. and, like I said, thank God this didn't happen a month from now. that little boy may have died.

I wonder, is there any sort of legal action that can be taken here? this poor little boys was alone, locked in and scared for eight freaking hours. wet his pants multiple times. it's not right. and dad was right when he pointed out that if he leaves his kid in the car for 10 minutes to run into walmart, he might wind up spending some time in jail.

 

That last line is probably the key to all this. If the parents could have gotten in trouble for this, then so should the bus driver, even if it's only in losing a job.

 

This bus driver should be fired, no question. And the driver's supervisor should be told, next time it happens, you're fired, too.