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KIPP KC investigates bus driver incident involving student safety

CALL SO YOU KNOW WHERE THE RAIN IS BEFORE IT FALLS. A KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI SCHOOL BUS DRIVER IS STANDING AT SCHOOL TONIGHT FOR LOST HER CALM AND TURNING ON THE HEAT AS PUNISHMENT FOR CHILDREN. A CHILD IS ALLEGED TO HAVE JUMPED OUT OF AN EMERGENCY EXIT TO FLY. POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED. KMBC NINE'S BRIAN JOHNSON GETS ANSWERS TONIGHT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. AND BRIAN WHAT IS BEING DONE. YES. SO, CHRIS, LAURA, THE SCHOOL EMAILED THE PARENTS WHOSE STUDENTS WERE IMPACTED, BUT THE SCHOOL IS NOT GIVING OUT VERY MANY DETAILS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. STUDENTS SAY THE BUS DRIVER TURNED UP THE HEAT TO DISCIPLINE THEM. WHEN IT WAS OUTSIDE, THE HEAT INDEX WAS IN THE MID-30S. STUDENTS ARE BACK ON THE BUSES, BUT ENDEAVOR ACADEMY TIPPING CASES SAYS THE DRIVER INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT HAS NOT BEEN ASSIGNED TO THEIR SCHOOL UNTIL THE INVESTIGATION IS COMPLETELY COMPLETED. THEY HAD TO TELL THE PARENTS IN MORE DETAIL WHAT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TURN ON THE HEAT, IT'S RIDICULOUS HOW THE KIDS IN THE BUS BURNED. THE STUDENTS ON THE BUS ALLEGEDLY BEHAVED. IN RESPONSE, THE STUDENTS SAY THE BUS DRIVER ALLEGEDLY TURNED UP THE HEAT. ONE STUDENT JUMPED OUT OF THE EMERGENCY EXIT IN THE BACK OF THE BUS TO GET COOLER AIR. THE POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. WHATEVER WAS THE CASE, THE KIDS WERE NOT LISTENING OR NOT. THEY WERE HONORED. YOU DON'T DO THAT. YOU DON'T DO THAT. IF YOU CAN'T GET THEM UNDER CONTROL, YOU STOP THE BUS AND CALL FOR BACKUP. THAT'S JUST MY BUSINESS. IF YOU DON'T HANDLE IT, THIS IS NOT A JOB FOR YOU. WE'RE INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED. WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH THIS CONTRACTING COMPANY TO MAKE SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. THE BUS CONTRACTOR, THE FIRST STUDENT, SAYS THERE WERE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES WITH SEVERAL STUDENTS ON THE BUS. WE'RE EXAMINING HOW THE DRIVER HANDLED THE SITUATION AND WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. OUR TOP PRIORITY IS THE SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS, FAMILY, TEACHERS AND STAFF AND THEN THE EDUCATION OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. PARENTS ARE WAITING FOR ANSWERS IN KANSAS CITY. BRIAN JOHNSON, KMBC NINE NEWS. THE SCHOOL AND BUS OPERATOR HAVE NOT SAID HOW LONG THE INVESTIGATION MAY TAKE OR IF THE DRIVER HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER SCHOOL. WE'

KIPP KC investigates bus driver incident involving student safety

KIPP KC's Endeavor Academy is investigating an incident in which a bus driver allegedly turned up the heat, causing a student to jump out the emergency exit. Students on the bus were allegedly misbehaving, causing the bus driver to raise the temperature. A student jumped out the emergency exit in the back of the bus to get cooler air. Police were called to the scene. Keesh Hannah, a parent, expressed frustration with the lack of detailed communication from the school. “Whatever the case, if the kids weren't listening or were misbehaving, you don't do that,” Hannah said. “If you don't have them under control, you stop the bus and call for backup. That's just my opinion.” Michael Coleman, KIPP KC's community liaison, assured that the school is taking steps to prevent future incidents. “We are investigating what happened,” Coleman said. “We are working with the company that provided the service to ensure this does not happen again.” The bus operator, First Student, said: “Several students on the bus experienced behavioral issues. We are reviewing how the driver handled the situation and working with the school to prevent this from happening again.” “Our top priority is the safety of our students, families, teachers and staff,” Coleman said. “And then educating our young people.”

KANSAS CITY, Missouri —

KIPP KC's Endeavor Academy is investigating an incident in which a bus driver allegedly turned on the heat, causing a student to jump out the emergency exit.

According to reports, students were misbehaving on the bus, causing the bus driver to raise the temperature. One student jumped out of the emergency exit at the back of the bus to get cooler air.

The police were called to the scene.

Keesh Hannah, a parent, expressed her frustration with the lack of detailed communication from the school.

“Whatever the case, if the kids weren't listening or were being naughty, you don't do that,” Hannah said. “If you can't control them, you stop the bus and call for backup. That's just my opinion.”

Michael Coleman, community liaison for KIPP KC, assured that the school is taking steps to prevent future incidents.

“We are investigating what happened,” Coleman said. “We are working with the contractor to make sure this doesn't happen again.”

Bus operator First Student said: “Several students on the bus experienced behavioural issues. We are reviewing how the driver handled the situation and are working with the school to prevent this from happening again.”

“Our top priority is the safety of our students, families, faculty and staff,” Coleman said. “And then the education of our young people.”

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