INDIAN RIVER CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, New York (WWNY) – A First Student-contracted bus monitor has been fired after it appears he put his hands on students. 7 News obtained cellphone video of the incident that became both verbal and physical.
The video was shot on November 29 aboard a bus operated by First Student for the Indian River Central School District.
The video appears to start with a student whipping her hair in the back of the bus in the face of the bus monitor who then appears to grab the girl’s hair.
Then another student approaches the back of the bus and appears to raise his hand to the adult.
Soon after, the video appears to show the monitor holding on to that student.
It didn’t end there. Another part of the video shows the monitor and students at the front of the bus.
The monitor appears to be restraining one student.
As other students look on, some are crying.
Another adult voice coming from the driver’s seat tells the kids, “You guys just don’t stop.”
You can also hear the bus monitor and students arguing with the monitor saying it’s the kids who are acting up followed by the students throwing vulgarities back at the monitor.
In a statement, Indian River Central School District Superintendent Troy Decker said the bus monitor “used vulgarity and was overly physical in response to student actions on the bus. The adult was immediately removed from any and all IR buses permanently.”
Decker said the district is working with the involved families and local law enforcement.
“Action was clear, decisive, and immediate by all parties. Support has also been provided for any students witnessing or involved in the incident,” Decker said in the statement. “This incident does not reflect who we are as a district.”
First Student issued this statement:
We are disturbed by what we saw in the video. The interaction the driver assistant had with students was unacceptable, and we have initiated the termination process. We continue to conduct an internal review of the incident. While we do, the bus driver has been removed from service.”
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department confirms that it’s investigating the incident.
See Superintendent Decker’s full statement below:
On Tuesday, November 29th, an incident took place on an Indian River Central School bus between an adult, working as a contracted First Student bus monitor, and several students. The adult used vulgarity and was overly physical in response to student actions on the bus. The adult was immediately removed from any and all IR buses permanently, and we are working with the involved families and local law enforcement. Action was clear, decisive, and immediate by all parties. Support has also been provided for any students witnessing or involved in the incident.
This incident does not reflect who we are as a district, nor is it how we represent ourselves in our community. Our students’ health and safety is our number one priority. We appreciate the quick assistance of multiple students, parents, staff, and our SRO throughout this process – all intended to support our students. We also continue to work with our partner, First Student, to help prevent such occurrences in the future.
The matter is an active investigation by the police, and of course, there are student privacy concerns as well. No more information can be shared at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
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