ROANOKE, Va. — A frightening first-day-of-school incident involving a 5-year-old kindergarten student riding a Roanoke City Public Schools bus is raising questions about school bus safety, supervision and accountability in Roanoke.
According to a family member’s Facebook post, the child was supposed to get off the bus on Campbell Avenue, but instead exited at a stop on Marshall Avenue. The family says the 5-year-old then walked for nearly 10 minutes by himself, crossing streets on his way home and encountering strangers along the way. Police were contacted, and fortunately, the child was ultimately found safe.
Roanoke City Public Schools responded publicly after reviewing video from the bus.
RCPS said the bus had stopped to let another student off when the kindergartner walked off. According to the school division, the driver told the child it was not his stop and attempted to stop him, but the student continued walking away. RCPS said the driver could not leave the bus unattended with other students aboard, immediately reported what happened, and law enforcement was dispatched.
That explanation has not satisfied many parents and community members.
And there is an important piece of information that makes this incident particularly concerning:
Roanoke City Public Schools’ own transportation information says students in kindergarten must have an authorized person meet them at the bus stop each afternoon. RCPS lists that person as a parent or guardian, an adult on the student’s emergency card, or someone at least 14 years old.
Virginia transportation regulations also state that students are to be discharged only at designated school bus stops approved by the local school division, except in an emergency.
That leaves a pretty significant question unanswered: If the Roanoke City Schools bus driver knew this was not the child’s stop, how did a 5-year-old kindergartner make it off the bus in the first place?
The issue isn’t necessarily whether the driver should have abandoned a bus full of children and chased after him. Roanoke City Public Schools is correct that the safety of the other students also mattered. Even some commenters sympathetic to the driver acknowledged that difficult situation.
💬 One Facebook user: “It sounds like the driver was put in a quandary. The kid kept going and the driver couldn’t abandon the bus to go after him. I’m surprised there was no bus aide.”
But many people responding to Roanoke City Public Schools focused on what happened before the child was walking away from the bus.
💬 PinkPineapple4435: “So..the driver just left? There is noooo way that is Roanoke City’s policy for an elementary school child???”
💬 Timothy: “Do better Roanoke City Public Schools! That bus shouldn’t have left that child there!”
💬 Kay: “Really its the fault of a 5 year old child! What is wrong with this. Not the Childs fault.”
💬 Michael questioned why a 5-year-old was able to exit when the driver reportedly knew it wasn’t his stop, writing in part: “How about some accountability.”
💬 Jamie, who said she drove school buses for many years, offered one of the most detailed responses: “There is no way I would ever allow a little one off my bus unless an adult was present.” She said that if an adult didn’t arrive, she would have contacted dispatch and ultimately returned the child to school.
💬 Cryssy: “Learn to take responsibility.”
There were also people defending the driver. Some argued that children must be taught to listen to the adult in charge and recognize their own bus stop. One commenter said parents should make sure their children know where to get off and follow the driver’s instructions. Another argued that the driver could not reasonably leave the remaining students on the bus to chase after one child.
OUR TAKE: There can be more than one thing true here.
A child should be taught to listen to a bus driver. A driver cannot abandon an occupied school bus and run down the street. Parents have responsibilities, too.
But we’re talking about a 5-year-old kindergartner on the first day of school, riding a Roanoke City Public Schools bus, not a teenager knowingly getting off wherever he chooses.
At that age, especially during a child’s first experience riding a school bus, the safety system has to account for the fact that a child may become confused, misunderstand instructions or simply follow another student through an open door.
And Roanoke City Public Schools’ own posted procedure appears especially important here: kindergarten students are supposed to have an authorized individual meet them at the stop.
So focusing primarily on the fact that the 5-year-old “continued to walk away” doesn’t answer the bigger safety question:
Why was a kindergarten student riding a Roanoke City Schools bus able to leave the bus at a stop the driver reportedly knew was not his?
Fortunately, this story ended with the child safe at home. The concern from many parents is what could happen next time if the outcome isn’t so fortunate.
What do you think? Should Roanoke City Public Schools require kindergarten students to remain on the bus unless the driver confirms both the correct stop AND that an authorized person is there to receive them?