Bus driver fired after using A/C as punishment on special education bus

Publish date: 2024-05-28

LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WACH) — A bus driver in South Carolina has been fired after parents say she turned off the air conditioning on a special education bus to punish the children on board.

The incident happened in Lexington School District Two. The parents are demanding justice for their children.

According to the National Weather Service, it was 91 degrees the day, and the driver, Patricia Douglas was accused of turning off the A/C on that special education bus during the ride home.

Three moms with children between five and ten years old told WACH about the harsh punishment they claim a school bus driver inflicted on the children.

On May 7, the women told WACH that the bus driver refused to turn on the A/C on the bus as the children begged for air.

"So my understanding is that a child told her I'm cooking, can you please turn the AC back on and she said no," said Cassandra Alvarez

"It was 18 minutes without A/C my son has epilepsy and does not remember the bus ride," said Akera Allen.

According to the incident report, onboard surveillance video shows that around 2:27 p.m., the A/C was cut off.

The report details comments from the Douglas like:

"Silence or I will cut the A/C off and burn you up."

Around 2:47 p.m. the A/C is turned back on and the driver comments:

I'm not going to make all of you suffer because you were not the ones, but ___ blank kept going on and on.

"When they got home both of them were very sweaty very tired, they wanted to go to sleep right away, I had to give them three glasses of water each. They were nauseous for a couple of days and weren't eating for a couple of days," said Melissa Derosier

According to the report, the Lexington District Two director of security and risk notified law enforcement about the incident and provided police with the surveillance video.

"Our kids have IEP 504s and a lot of the children on that bus are non-verbal or in restraints and would have had no means to be able to roll down a window or be able to tell their parents," said Alvarez"She did take advantage of that and after further talking with the kids they did tell me that this is not the first time she's offered them candy to not tell their parents stuff," said Allen

Lexington School District Two said the driver is no longer employed by the district and the district is fully cooperating with law enforcement.

The parents said when they initially reached out to the district they were told the air was only off for 10 minutes.

I don't feel safe with my kids on the bus you'll like to me once to cover for this person or to cover for yourself I am not sure, what else are you lying about what else, I'm not sure I want to see this video," said Alvarez.

According to parents, they have not been allowed to view the surveillance video. WACH submitted a freedom of information request for that video.

South Congaree police said they are still investigating the case.

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