Mother says North Thurston bus driver hit her son with his hand. And there’s video
A mother is alleging that a North Thurston Public Schools bus driver hit her 6-year-old son with his hand when the boy was riding on the bus last month.
Ashley Wilson first spoke out about the incident to KIRO 7. She has called on the district to punish the bus driver in question, saying there was “no need” for him to hit her son.
Wilson said the incident occurred Oct. 2 as the boy was riding home from Lydia Hawk Elementary School in the afternoon. Video from the school bus, first obtained by KIRO 7, appears to show the bus driver’s hand make contact with the boy’s back.
In the video, the boy appears to be on a seat and facing the back of the bus rather than sitting and facing forward.
Wilson said she has complained to the district.
“I’m still not getting any answers. I guess it’s getting swept under the rug,” Wilson told KIRO 7. “I’ve called and asked these questions and I’m getting no answers.”
Additionally, Wilson alleges the bus driver threatened to hit her son last May, citing an account from the boy’s older sister. She said she saw the man driving a school bus last Friday.
“He hit my kid, so why wouldn’t he hit anyone else’s kid?” Wilson told KIRO 7. “That’s a safety concern in itself. I don’t know this bus driver. I don’t know what he’s capable of, especially after hitting my kid. So, for him to even be in a distance of picking up other kids or driving by my son, that’s a lot for him. That’s trauma to him. After to keep seeing this guy.”
In response to the incident, North Thurston Public Schools spokesperson Amy Blondin said Wednesday that the district has investigated both incidents.
“North Thurston Public Schools transports more than 10,000 students each day, working to get students safely to and from school each day,” Blondin said. “We provide comprehensive safety, student management, and communication training to our more than 100 bus drivers. While we cannot speak on specific personnel matters, we took quick and appropriate action in this situation to ensure student safety.”
Blondin told The Olympian that the district’s Human Resources team began investigating the incident in consultation with law enforcement the day it occurred. The district shared the bus video with Wilson the day after the incident, she said.
The investigation concluded on Oct. 16 and the district informed Wilson that the driver would no longer be driving his previous route, Blondin said. She said the district placed the driver on administrative leave and he resumed working after “completing conditions of return.”
“The district took disciplinary action in alignment with the outcome of the investigation,” Blondin said. “Additionally, the employee was required to participate in retraining on managing and disciplining students without physical intervention. The employee was required to complete six hours of retraining with an NTPS Certified Driver Trainer, to include observational ride-alongs.”
Blondin added that the driver is required to keep detailed incident reports on any “behavior issues” on the bus and submit them to the transportation supervisor.
Tara Tsehlana, a spokesperson for the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, confirmed with The Olympian that the office is still reviewing a complaint that Wilson submitted to the Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 6. She added the PAO will decide whether to charge the bus driver within a week.
This story was originally published November 1, 2023 at 12:55 PM.
