Crowley ISD fired a bus driver and is accusing them of not following proper protocols after a pre-K student was left on a bus.
Crowley ISD is reviewing its safety procedures and oversight measures following the incident that led to the termination of a Durham School Services bus driver, the district said in a statement provided to The Dallas Morning News Thursday.
According to the statement, a pre-K student remained on the bus after the driver finished their morning transportation services. The student was later found in the Durham transportation lot by an employee.
The child was immediately assisted and medically evaluated, then reunited with family, the district said in the statement.
“The driver involved in this incident failed to follow protocol, and the student should never have been left alone,” the district said.
The driver was immediately removed from service and terminated, according to the district’s statement.
Crowley ISD and Durham School Services are reviewing transportation procedures, documentation, and staff training to ensure child-check protocols are being followed, the statement said. Transportation employees are also being required to review and acknowledge the child-check procedures before returning to service.
“We are grateful the student was located safely. While the investigation is ongoing, we remain committed to identifying all contributing factors and implementing any corrective actions necessary to help prevent this from ever happening again,” the district said.
Crowley ISD did not immediately confirm to The News the day the child was left on the bus. The Dallas-Fort Worth area has been under consistent heat advisories as temperatures hit triple digits and remain in the low 100s during the day.