EDUCATION + SCHOOLS

Weber School District apologizes after boy left on bus unattened

Sep 29, 2020, 7:04 PM

(Adobe Stock)...

(Adobe Stock)

(Adobe Stock)

ROY, Utah – The Weber School District is apologizing to a Roy family after a four-year-old boy was accidentally left on a school bus for hours.  Some parents with similar experiences say legislators need to pass a law that could prevent this from happening again. 

Earlier this month, Miles Hubert got on the bus to Midland Elementary School, but the driver and an aide reportedly failed to notice they left him after they dropped off the other kids. 

On Tuesday, the Weber School District issued a statement saying they investigated the situation, and found Miles was left unattended on the bus for about two hours.  The statement says even though he wasn’t hurt, it still doesn’t excuse what happened.

The statement reads, in part…

“After carefully reviewing what had occurred, it was determined there was no malicious intent on the part of the employee(s) involved. However, certain safety protocols were not followed which led to the child being accidentally left on the bus after the route had ended. Due to privacy laws, the district is not releasing specific information regarding the disciplinary action taken against the employee(s) involved.”

“District and transportation officials have reached out to the family, offering our sincerest apologies for what took place. The district has also conducted a review of our transportation policies and will be making any necessary adjustments to ensure this type of thing never happens.”

After seeing the report on the news, other parents called KSL saying they’ve had similar experiences in other districts, and all of them reportedly happened after the bus driver failed to walk the length of the bus to look for kids who may have been left behind.

Amanda Davis tells KSL this happened with her daughter last November in the Jordan School District.  She says her kindergartener was left on a bus for a few hours until the driver realized what had happened.

Davis says, “The driver let me know what had happened, and she was very shaken and upset that it had happened.”

However, Davis says the district acted quickly once they realized their mistake. 

“We talked with the bus director later that day who said, ‘We have maintenance crews out on the buses and, right now, they’re fixing all the alarms,’” Davis says.

Many buses are equipped with alarms that alert once a bus driver turns off the engine.  The alarm is placed all the way in the back of the bus and a driver has to walk back there to turn it off, manually.  This acts as a safeguard to remind drivers to always walk the entire length of the bus to see if any child is still there.

Jordan School District officials say Davis’ bus had one of these alarms, but it wasn’t working properly.  Davis has heard stories of drivers dismantling these alarms because they were malfunctioning and going off when the bus was still in use.

“Every bus in the state of Utah should have an alarm on it and one that is constantly maintained and there’s no way somebody can tamper with it,” she says.

Since the incident in November, Davis says she has started working with her local legislators to see if lawmakers can make these alarms mandatory across Utah.  She says parents with similar experiences are joining her cause.

Davis says, “We’re going to work together to see if we can have some state laws changed so that every bus has to have a working alarm.”

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Education + Schools

A n3-year degree may be an option...

Amie Schaeffer

Utah students could soon earn bachelor’s degrees in 3 years

College students may be able to graduate with a bachelors degree in three years in some industries.

4 hours ago

The Powder Baby Dry Shampoo team poses with its check after winning the 2024 Utah Entrepreneur Chal...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.COM

BYU student startup wins $30K at Utah Entrepreneur Challenge

BYU entrepreneur Kylee Black, who founded Powder Baby, said the cash prize will be instrumental in advancing her business.

6 hours ago

Outside of the Yale University Law School is pictured on September 27, 2018 in New Haven, Connectic...

Zenebou Sylla, CNN

Some New England universities, including Yale, break $90,000 barrier for total tuition cost in upcoming school year

(CNN) — Several New England universities and colleges, including Yale, have reached a pinnacle of at least $90,000 for undergraduate tuition and costs starting this fall. Yale University, Tufts University, Boston University (BU), and Wellesley College are among a few private institutions that will top this year’s costs for tuition, housing and other expenses, according to […]

16 hours ago

FILE: Cedar High School in Cedar City is pictured on Wednesday April 7, 2021....

Tammy Kikuchi and Emma Keddington

Cedar High School grapples with mascot name, five years after it was changed

The Iron School District Board of Education is grappling with changing the Cedar High School mascot back from "Reds" to "Redmen." 

17 hours ago

A green and brown sign hangs on a brick wall. It reads "The future of the world is in this classroo...

Mariah Maynes

Study looks into Utah voters’ opinions on curriculum transparency in schools

A Sutherland Institute study found that a majority of Utah voters support curriculum transparency. However, fewer of them support mandating it with legislation. 

23 hours ago

Utah Utes players circle up before the women’s college basketball game against Weber State Univer...

Aimee Cobabe and Emma Keddington

FBI now involved in Utah Women’s Basketball racism investigation

Police in Idaho are working with the FBI to investigate an incident where racial slurs were yelled at the Utah Women's basketball team.

2 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Weber School District apologizes after boy left on bus unattened