HOUSTON, Texas – Parents are demanding answers after a Sealy ISD bus driver allegedly denied allowing students to let their windows down in an un-air-conditioned vehicle when temperatures were in the triple digits.
Parents said on Thursday, Aug. 22, when temperatures were between 108 to 112 degrees, a bus driver deliberately turned onto a dirt road and started driving slowly while students sat on the bus, which was reportedly not air-conditioned, with their windows up complaining about not being able to breathe.
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“People are arrested all the time because they accidentally subjected their children to these conditions while they ran into a gas station,” said civil rights attorney Harry Daniels. “This woman intentionally put these children at risk for more than half an hour during a 103-degree heat advisory and no one has done anything.”
A video released by one of the parents showed the students yelling, “It’s hot,” and “We need A/C,” while the bus driver could also be heard saying, “Put the window up, you shouldn’t have your hands out the window.”
Sealy ISD responded, saying they were investigating the incident and learned that the bus driver required a student who was sticking his head out the window to put his window up, which resulted in the driver stopping the bus for two minutes and 20 seconds to address the student.
“Last Thursday, a driver did require a student who was sticking his head out the window to put up his window and the driver stopped the bus for approximately 2 minutes and 20 seconds to address the student. During the route the roof hatches and windows were open,” the statement from Sealy ISD Superintendent Bryan Hallmark read, in part.
Hallmark also addressed the un-air-conditioned school bus, saying they were made aware of the A/C issues on its buses last week, and were working to fix the issue.
“Last Friday, administrators made adjustments to the amount of time the bus spends on unpaved roads so our students can arrive home as quickly and safely as possible. It does get hot on the buses, especially in August. Thankfully, we are experiencing cooler temperatures this week,” the statement read.
One of the parents, Coshenna Smith, said two of her children were on the bus. She said when her children arrived home on Thursday, she said her 11-year-old daughter who has chronic asthma, and her 12-year-old son were both soaked in sweat.
Smith has since hired an attorney and reviewing taking legal action against the district.
Sealy ISD’s full statement regarding the incident:
“Last week we were made aware of concerns about a lack of air conditioning on many of our buses. We also received reports that students were not allowed to put their windows down on a bus and that the driver stopped a bus to address a student discipline issue. We take these concerns very seriously. Upon investigating these reports last Thursday, a driver did require a student who was sticking his head out the window to put up his window and the driver stopped the bus for approximately 2 minutes and 20 seconds to address the student. During the route the roof hatches and windows were open. Last Friday, administrators made adjustments to the amount of time the bus spends on unpaved roads so our students can arrive home as quickly and safely as possible. It does get hot on the buses, especially in August. Thankfully, we are experiencing cooler temperatures this week.”