Ashby Community Shocked Over Allegations of Bus Driver Attacking Student

A simple bus ride to school led to a devastating incident between the bus driver and student on Tuesday, April 2nd.

Police in Ashby have summoned a bus driver who was accused of assaulting a student.

School bus driver to face criminal charge after alleged assault of student in Ashby caught on camera https://t.co/mlUJZPEeSA

— Boston 25 News (@boston25) April 3, 2024

The incident is truly disturbing given bus drivers are trusted with transporting children on a daily basis.

The Superintendent of North Middlesex Regional School District, Brad Morgan, added comments on the incident, which CBS News adds:

Superintendent Brad Morgan said the bus was pulled over on the side of the road at the time and there were other students on board.

“The only reason to ever put your hands on a student would be to stop an additional injury or if someone’s safety was being impacted. But even with that, there are guidelines that have to be followed,” said Morgan. “So generally speaking, there’s really no need to do that, it did not look like anyone was in harm. It didn’t look at that point in time as if safety was a concern at that point in time on the bus.”

The bus driver has been officially charged with assault and battery.

Thankfully, nobody was hurt in the incident and the exchange happened when the bus was stopped.

NBC News provides more details on the incident:

Morgan said that “the bus driver went too far” in the incident, in which, according to the video, he pulled the bus over, asked the student to move and, when the student didn’t, put his hands on the student.

The student appeared to lose their balance in the aisle, and the driver maintained contact, according to Morgan. It ended up with the driver “on top of the student.”

The only reason for an adult to put their hands on a student would be for safety concerns, and “it did not look like the student’s safety was being threatened,” Morgan said.

The name of both the driver and student have not been publicly stated, but the bus company did confirm the driver was fired.