A day after officials with Edmonton Catholic Schools told CTV News that a bus driver involved in an incident that saw a student kicked off his school bus should be fired; school officials apologized, and said the incident was under investigation.
Edmonton Catholic School officials said in a statement issued Tuesday that the district was still investigating the matter, but a new video released recently showing a second perspective on the events leading up to the child being kicked off the bus prompted an apology.
“In light of the second video showing an assault on the driver, we realize we should not have requested the driver’s termination and have apologized to his employer, Cunningham Transportation Services, and will be apologizing to the driver as soon as we can reach him.”
The incident reportedly took place on a school bus on Monday, May 25.
Video captured by an on-board camera installed by the driver showed a violent incident on the bus that day – the driver was attacked by a student on the bus, he was hit in the head by a hockey bag before the driver removed students from the bus.
After video of the students being removed from the bus – officials said the students were kicked off a few blocks away from home – Edmonton Catholic Schools asked for the driver to be fired.
Tuesday’s apology was welcomed by the school bus company.
“We are happy that they have come forward with an apology,” Laura Doroshenko with Cunningham Transport said.
The driver involved in the incident won’t lose his job, but he has been removed from all Edmonton Catholic Schools routes.
The two students involved in the recorded incident were suspended; CTV News has learned they will be back at school Wednesday.
With files from Danelle Boivin and The Canadian Press
