ATLANTA — Students taking the bus to Howard Middle School in northeast Atlanta Monday morning had an unexpected passenger riding in back — a sleeping homeless woman.
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“They were all really surprised, and they were like, ‘What’s going on here?’” parent Beth Carter told Channel 2’s Tom Regan.
Carter says her daughter climbed on the bus, and like many other students, was initially unaware of the stranger sleeping on a seat in the rear of the bus.
She says the school district transportation director later told her, the driver had completed picking up and dropping off high school students earlier in the morning and had stopped before beginning her middle school route.
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“The bus driver stopped to use the restroom, and the homeless woman came on the bus and was in the back. The bus driver continued to pick up kids, and eventually they found her in the back. The driver told her to leave, and she got off the bus without incident. But it’s incredibly scary, and unnerving that it happened with a bus load of kids. It could have been a lot worse. How did this happen? Did she not lock the bus?” said Carter.
Carter said her daughter took phone video of the incident and expressed sympathy for the stranger on the bus.
“She felt bad for the woman. But she wasn’t supposed to be on the bus,” said Carter.
Atlanta Public Schools released a statement, saying the incident is being investigated.
Atlanta Public Schools is aware of reports involving an unauthorized passenger on a school bus that was transporting students to Howard Middle School. The unauthorized passenger was removed without incident.
APS is actively reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident. Per district protocol, the bus driver has been placed on leave pending the outcome of the review. The district is also taking immediate steps to address any identified concerns and make necessary adjustments to transportation and safety protocols to help ensure the continued safety and security of our students and staff.
The safety and security of our students and staff is our highest priority. APS takes all matters involving student safety and security seriously and remains committed to maintaining safe and secure transportation for every student.
— Atlanta Public Schools
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