The Following Is A Narrative Of The Event As It Unfolded.
Image Credit: merripat / Public Domain
The Tennessee Conservative [By David Seal] –
School Bus 19-12 left Jefferson Middle School (JMS) on Monday December 2, 2024, on a routine delivery route to take more than 70 students home from school. It wasn’t long before things started to go off the rails for the substitute bus driver.
About 5 stops into the route, the driver was unable to proceed, the reasons of which are under investigation by the school system. Student passengers and school officials both confirm that student behavior problems were a factor but could not say definitively that such problems caused the snafu that unfolded next.
The driver stopped the bus in a church parking lot and spoke to the student passengers attempting to get advice on turns and stops for the remainder of the route. He had driven the route multiple times before, but on this occasion, became disoriented and frustrated by deteriorating student conduct. It is unknown if the bus was equipped with a “turn sheet” that would have guided the driver on the route.
Unable to get proper route information, the driver announced to the passengers that they were “returning to the school.” – a decision made by the bus driver out of safety concerns.
While still parked, the bus driver called Transportation Supervisor Phillip Batts to advise him that he was unable to continue the route and that he was returning the bus to JMS with approximately 70 students on board.
Batts immediately contacted JMS Principal Melanie Simpson and informed her that Bus 19-12 was in route back to the school and that she was to board the bus on its arrival and “stabilize the situation” until Batts could get to the school.
Adding to the stress and confusion, Jefferson County Schools had posted a message at 3:54 PM on their social media page stating, “Late Bus: Bus 19-12, servicing Jefferson Elementary, Jefferson Middle, Patriot Academy, and Jefferson County High School is running about 30 minutes behind schedule this afternoon due to mechanical issues.”
Parents and students knew the “mechanical issues” message was false, a posting that school officials later admitted was sent out by mistake due to miscommunication with the webmaster.
By the time the bus traveled from the church parking lot to JMS, many frightened students had already called their parents. With those calls, parents became frightened.
When the bus arrived at the school, Batts boarded the bus to assess the rapidly deteriorating situation. He and Principal Simpson conferred with Director Arnold via phone and announced to the waiting parents that no student would be allowed to disembark the bus and join their parents.
Arnold had made the decision not to terminate the bus route. Instead, he directed that the bus continue its regular delivery route with Batts on board to make sure each child got to their place of residence safely.
With parents expecting their kids to be allowed off the bus at JMS, hell ensued in a torrent of raised voices and obscenities being directed at school officials by students inside the bus and by parents outside the bus. An amateur video taken at the scene confirms this.
The bus then departed JMS and delivered all students safely to their destinations.
Director Arnold and Transportation Supervisor Batts were interviewed in person for this news report by The Tennessee Conservative News, both concurred that the safest approach was not to let students off the bus into a volatile environment in the JMS parking lot. Their time spent interviewing with this publication is greatly appreciated.
“The safety of our students is paramount; and we took the proper course of action to get each child home safely” – said Dr. Tommy Arnold
This publication has offered to publish any future media releases or letters of explanation that may be generated by school officials on this matter.
About the Author: David Seal is a retired Jefferson County educator, recognized artist, local businessman, 917 Society Volunteer, and current Chairman of the Jefferson County Republican Party. He has also served Jefferson County as a County Commissioner and is a citizen lobbyist for the people on issues such as eminent domain, property rights, education, and broadband accessibility on the state level. David is also a 2024 winner of The Tennessee Conservative Flame Award & has received an accolade from the Institute For Justice for successfully lobbing the TN legislature to protect property rights. David can be reached at david@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Misbehaving students should be barred from busses. Problem solved. Let the enabling “parents” deal with getting them there and back.