EXTRA CONTENT: Driver who left kid on bus alone gets five day suspension

Click here to see both letters from Superintendent Ed McNeel regarding disciplinary action taken against the driver.

A Corbin Schools bus driver, on the hot seat after leaving a child on his bus alone for about 45 minutes in late April, has been formally reprimanded and was suspended for five days following a final decision on the matter by school district Superintendent Ed McNeel last week.

Roy Hammons, who has driven a bus for the Corbin Independent School District for 20 years, was notified by a letter from McNeel last Wednesday, April 29, following a six-day investigation into the matter.

According to McNeel, Hammons failed to inspect his bus after dropping students off at Corbin Primary School on the morning April 23. A child that attends the school was asleep and did not get off the bus. The bus was returned to the districts bus storage area and the child was inside it alone for about 45 minutes until discovered by another driver.

Board policy dictates that all drivers must inspect their buses after morning and afternoon runs to ensure no students are inadvertently left on them.

Hammons’ five-day suspension was with pay. McNeel said a written reprimand was placed in his personnel file and that any further infractions would likely bring harsher punishment.

"What I looked at in this was the past record of the employee," McNeel said. "Mr. Hammons has been a long-time employee with the district and we’ve never had any problems with him. This is the first time anything like this has happened … I think with this, we’ve got his attention and that’s what we are after."

McNeel was notified about the incident by the district’s Director of Transportation Thom Smith shortly after it happened. He said Smith has talked with the family of the child. He said they were upset, but that they have no hard feelings toward Hammons.

"They know him. I think they’ve had other children ride his bus. They know he wouldn’t do this on purpose," McNeel said.
McNeel said Hammons was "very remorseful" about leaving the child on the bus and has no other infractions in his personnel file.

Hammons was put on paid suspension while the investigation was completed.

The fate of another bus driver for the school district also hangs in the balance. The driver is accused of slapping an eight-year-old first-grader about two weeks ago. He detailed the incident to the News Journal but has asked not to be identified. He is currently on paid suspension while McNeel considers his case.

McNeel said Thursday he has made a decision about punishment for the driver and is currently drafting a letter to address the issue. He said the case is a little different because it will involve "due process" rights of appeal for the driver if he chooses to initiate an appeal.

"Once the employee is notified they have six days to ask for an appeal and to have that appeal heard," McNeel said. "You have to plan on an appeal because he has a right to it. It’s a much more detailed procedure."

Typically, school employees placed on paid suspension cannot appeal a disciplinary action by the superintendent. Any appeal would be heard by McNeel in the presence of a court reporter. Ultimately, he will make the final decision regarding punishment for the driver.