TOWN OF EDWARDS, New York (WWNY) – A video of a school bus driver raised alarms at Edwards-Knox. Now, a school board member looking into it has been accused of slander and defamation, and has resigned.
A brief cell phone video shot by a student in August shows an Edwards-Knox school bus driver apparently picking up a ringing cell phone while driving.
Stacia Kroniser has three grandchildren in the district and she’s also a former school board member.
“I was angered. I felt sick to my stomach. Just overwhelmed really,” she said.
Kroniser and some parents wanted to know if the bus driver disciplined and asked why she was still driving? Kroniser kept asking.
“Everyone is concerned of what could have happened,” said Kroniser.
At a September 14 school board meeting, Kroniser says Superintendent Erin Woods told the crowd the state Department of Transportation cited the driver for distracted driving.
Woods would not confirm that to 7 News. She did say the bus driver was not cited for texting while driving and added, “We do take anything involved with the safety of our students very, very seriously. I can assure you of that.”
Woods told 7 News a school and DOT investigation were mounted. She says the school was cleared of any wrongdoing.
But, after Kroniser and others raised more questions at the September 14 meeting, Kroniser got a letter from a lawyer for the New York State Council of School Superintendents, representing Woods.
It accused Kroniser of defaming and slandering the superintendent.
“I think they wrote this letter because I was asking questions,” said Kroniser.
The only evidence provided was a post Kroniser had put on social media. Kroniser said it wasn’t even about Woods.
Kroniser says the council’s letter raises free speech issues about what a school board member can say, and when, and where.
The superintendent says her accusations are truthful.
Kroniser has since resigned from the school board after serving 7 years.
We’ve contacted the state DOT to learn more about its investigation, but so far, we’ve not been given any information.
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