Officials: School Bus Driver Allowed Gun On Bus

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Posted: 4:58 PM Sep 19, 2008
Last Updated: 5:11 PM Sep 19, 2008
Reporter: Dave Jordan

26 comments

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A school bus driver is suspended while a local sheriff's office investigates claims one of the driver's adult daughters brought a gun on the bus.

Washington County school officials say it all started Wednesday morning in Plymouth when a student used profanity against the bus driver.

Wednesday afternoon during pickup, officials say the driver allowed one of her adult daughters to bring a gun onto the bus. They say the driver was suspended, and charges will be filed against the driver's daughter. School officials say the student involved is now suspended from riding the bus.

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Posted by: Jonathan Location: Plymouth on Sep 22, 2008 at 07:43 PM
To be for real......did you not read the entire thread? We were talking about the entire Washington county system. It is a joke and when parents try to take action we are shot down and ignored. That is why these positions should be elected. So if there is a problem we the people can vote them out!!! We cannot fire Dr. Walker....but I wish we could.

Posted by: Be For Real Location: North Carolina on Sep 22, 2008 at 03:20 PM
The school superintendent had no way of knowing that this was about to take place. I'm sure that some of you are just upset that Mr. Walker holds this position. Mr. Walker is not a fortune teller. So how is he responsible for this incident?

Posted by: Jonathan Location: Plymouth on Sep 21, 2008 at 08:18 PM
To Vickie...excellent I agree with you 100%. I am tired of having my child exposed to this. With a school board that is absolutely worthless, nothing will get better. We have a superintendant that is making over a hundred thousand a year and should be fired. I believe the school board should be elected positions like many other states, just goes to show how far behind NC schools are.

Posted by: Vickie Location: home on Sep 21, 2008 at 11:45 AM
@ Pines Parent! Keep your kid in a low preforming school with no hopes of it ever getting better.Call it white flight or whatever.I call it caring about MY child,as everyone else should do.It didn't take a village to bring my child into this world,and it is NOT going to take a village to RAISE MY CHILD.It is my responsibility.

Posted by: Pines Parent Location: Washington County on Sep 21, 2008 at 08:32 AM
to all those who drive their kids to school or are transferring out...you are making the problem worse. No one should run away from these problems. We need to stand together, and demand our children be safe in the care of our schools on and off the bus! The more people who leave the more room for the animals to take over.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: washington country on Sep 20, 2008 at 09:01 PM
It is a automatic 7 years in prison when a gun is used in the commission of a crime.Lets see what she and the driver ;being a accessory to the crime; get in court. I BET IT WILL ONLY BE A SLAP ON THE WRIST;THIS IS WASHINGTON COUNTRY JUSTICE.

Posted by: parent Location: plymouth on Sep 20, 2008 at 07:48 PM
omg. Washington County schools just dont know how to stay out of the media. If I had the money and whatever I would move from this town, and get my kids out of this school system. First mold, then drugs, now guns at school. The question is--IS OUR CHILDREN SAFE ANYMORE? I feel not. I am ashamed to even say I live in this town anymore

Posted by: Fred Flintstone Location: Bed Rock, NC on Sep 20, 2008 at 05:25 PM
This is a sad but "dangerous" situation here. The bus driver could have been a "victim" beforehand if thats the case. However, she should have notify her "superiors" immediately to correct the wrong done to her etc. By failing to do that she instead allows her daughter onto the bus with a gun!! Actually, the daughter ought to be charged with Kidnapping using a weapon, possession on educational property, going armed to the "Terror" of the public!! This is an outrage. Shame on you girls.

Posted by: Carmen Location: Stonewall on Sep 20, 2008 at 03:54 PM
The bus driver was so so wrong. Should never ever be able to drive another bus nor be near children ever again. The adult daughter, who does not have much common sense should also get jailtime. That is so wrong. The student and the parents should have to be taught how to act in public as well as manners on how to act around elders. This is a sad sad case of how the world is changing and lack of disipline.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Washington Co. on Sep 20, 2008 at 10:25 AM
I agree that the job of a school bus driver has to be difficult. However, this driver was wrong to let someone other that a student on the bus. As for the behavior of student's, once again, I'm tired of the schools being blamed for everything that happens. It begins at home!!!!!! I see so many teen girls(children) walking around Washington Co. who are having children. So we have so many children with children, there is no telling what they are learning at HOME and bring to school. I am in no way talking about all Washington Co. student's. We have some of the finest. This get me on the subject of sex education. We need it here!!!! I don't know if it would do any good or not, but it would be worth a try. These young girls think nothing of having babies. It's sad.

Posted by: concerned Location: washington county on Sep 20, 2008 at 09:11 AM
I said my great grand child was attacked on the bus from that school. Idon't know if it was Pines, union, or plymouth high where the recent incident happened. My grand childs incident was on a bus from Pines.

Posted by: concerned Location: washington county on Sep 20, 2008 at 08:10 AM
I have 3 great grand children at this school, and I am very concerned. Just last week my little great grand son was attacked on a bus. Something needs to be done. Parents don't you have better control of your child than that? Sounds to me like somebody needs some good old home traing. We don't see much of that today.

Posted by: to lady Location: plymouth on Sep 20, 2008 at 07:10 AM
There is no doubt that being a bus driver is very hard work. I know I couldn't do it, but having a difficult job is no excuse for intentionally picking up someone who not only is not a student but could potentially harm the other students. This is not the old west, it is not acceptable to settle arguments with showdowns guns drawn! When an adult has a problem it is expected that they will have the common sense it takes to go to school authorities to handle the problem. If the problem persists after going to administration then you make a decision to go to police. If you can't make rational decisions due to stress you need to step down from your position to get help. Now the consequences of her actions will live with her forever.

Posted by: KAT Location: Washington on Sep 20, 2008 at 06:58 AM
Animals raising animals. What was she going to do with the gun, shoot the student? in front of other students? what a crazy situation and as for the bus driver, what in the upbringing of your daughter would cause her to bring a gun on a school bus? As for bus drivers having to deal with a lot from the kids? Get another job. Being underpaid? Get another job. If you can't handle the heat, get outta the kitchen.

Posted by: lady Location: North Carolina on Sep 20, 2008 at 12:35 AM
I am a bus driver, we have hard job when it comes down to asking high school students to stop doing something especially boys.Cells Phones and Hollering out loud to just distract the driver.Pre-k parents not being home or visible in the morning & afternoon. It's not any easy job being a bus driver. Students are turn in to the office we never hear from the discipline action taken from the administration unless it is a something like this happen.Bus Driver have feeling we don't deserve to be curse out And disrespect in front of other students. For nothing to be done. Some people think driving a bus is a joke but we have a lot of responsible on our hand and being under paid.Far as people pulling their kids out of the school system.That there rights but the people hire in the school system is highly qualified we have been trained by state of NC to drive buses.They do background check,drug tests,etc.Discipline start at Home. Riding a School Bus is a privilege.

Posted by: Blog Refuter Location: NC on Sep 20, 2008 at 12:11 AM
To everyone thinking, "wow, she was only suspended", I was thinking the same thing at first. However, she's only suspended while they investigate. They can't just fire her from hearsay. They have to get all of the evidence together or else they might face some legal issues.

Posted by: VBush Location: MHCY on Sep 19, 2008 at 10:44 PM
Does anyone know why the driver's daughter was on the bus? Is she a student? Why did she have the gun? Did the driver/mother know she had the gun? Did she brandish it on the bus? What are the circumstances surrounding the entire incident?

Posted by: parent on Sep 19, 2008 at 10:42 PM
There seems to be a lot of incidences lately involving bus drivers....maybe the school board needs to revamp their screening techniques.

Posted by: LD Location: NC on Sep 19, 2008 at 10:40 PM
The driver allowed her daughter to take the gun on the bus and to school??Did she threaten the student with the gun who used the profanity? We think when our kids leave us each day for school that they are safe with our Teachers,Bus Drivers, and Adminstrators but there not and she only got suspended that's no punishment!!

Posted by: Pines Parent Location: Plymouth on Sep 19, 2008 at 09:59 PM
What was she thinking? This goes to show the gang mentality goes far beyond our young black male population. If the person who is paid to care for and transport our kids to and from school is capable of something like this then who else in our school system is as dangerous or worse! It is time for the state to step in and stop the family hiring process that allows anyone related no matter how many times removed to be hired by this county's school system. I am sure there were better options for the driver to choose from than to have her daughter bring a gun on the bus. There were other people lives at risk. I can not believe she was only suspended! I am outraged and sickened by the situation our community is in today.

Posted by: former plymouth resident Location: not plymouth on Sep 19, 2008 at 08:42 PM
Plymouth in the heat again...when will they learn? Probably never!!

Posted by: Concerned Parent!! Location: Eastern NC on Sep 19, 2008 at 07:56 PM
This is one of the main reasons why many parents are pulling their children out of the washington county school system. They have a bunch of inexperienced people being able to run the school systems and they are being paid for what? Bringing guns on campus? having juvenile children that have no business being on school grounds caring guns? Mold growing in schools and not informing the parents soon enough tll a student gets sick? What are the commisioners thinking? then they wonder why so many students are leaving. My point exactly.

Posted by: truth hurts Location: pungo on Sep 19, 2008 at 07:42 PM
drugs guns whats next ? well somebody needs to do something be for somebody's child gets hurt yes im a parent of a child there. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!

Posted by: hard job on Sep 19, 2008 at 06:26 PM
I am a teacher, and bus drivers have a rough job. If a student becomes a threat, or makes it unsafe to ride, the sheriff or police need to be called. The adult daughter of the driver must be on something to bring a gun on the bus. anything can happen on a bus while the drivers are driving. there need to be monitors armed with protection, not a gun, but a phone to call 911 if need be. the bus ride is part of a school day, and a privilidge to ride, not a given.

Posted by: Blog Refuter Location: NC on Sep 19, 2008 at 05:40 PM
Wow! Did they really think that they would get away with this??

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