BULLITT COUNTY, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bullitt County Public Schools said it stands behind its bus driver after a parent was arrested Tuesday while trying to get his daughter off the bus.
"Everything we've looked at, we feel our bus driver did everything she possibly could under the protocol and procedures and the expectations we have for our drivers," Superintendent Jesse Bacon said.
Bacon said buses are an extension of the classroom, and drivers have the same authority as teachers.
"We expect our students to behave accordingly on the school bus and follow our behavior expectations, and when that doesn't happen, our drivers do address those issues," he said.
He added that student misbehavior on buses can create a dangerous situation on the road, and in those cases pulling a bus over is protocol. It's also procedure to call in for assistance.
"We ask if our drivers feel like they have to pull the bus over to contact the central office and transportation department for assistance, and our driver did that," said Bacon.
Bacon said they did send people to assist when the driver called it in, but does not know if they arrived before or after police were called.
"We'll continue to review all the information that we have, bus video footage, eye witness accounts," he said. "And then, again, we're going to address the situation accordingly, can't get into the specifics of that, obviously."
He did say he wants to make sure students understand what behavior expectations are and the district will continue to support their bus driver, who continued back on her routes Wednesday.
Bacon added that the district's transportation director rode with the driver during her routes Wednesday, and will do so again on Thursday to ensure she feels safe and supported.
"We are working with our driver and transportation department as we speak on this issue to try to make sure we appropriately address all the concerns that have come up as a result of it," he said. "And just continue to support our drivers all that we can to ensure we're getting our kids to and from schools safe."
The superintendent told WDRB News in addition to the review process happening now, the district will also consider ways it can help prevent something like this from happening again.
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