The safety of our children is of utmost importance, and the recent incident involving a school bus driver in Colorado reminds us of the responsibility that comes with the job. Brian Fitzgerald, a former Douglas County School District bus driver, is facing 30 misdemeanor counts of child abuse and child abuse with bodily injuries for intentionally slamming his brakes to teach his students a lesson.
The security footage of the incident shows Fitzgerald asking the kids to sit down, but when they do not comply, he slams on his brakes, causing them to be thrown forward and resulting in at least one child receiving a bleeding cheek. Even though Fitzgerald claimed to be teaching the students a lesson, this approach is cruel and unnecessary.
Thankfully, Fitzgerald has been fired from the district, and justice will be served in court. However, this incident highlights the importance of properly screening and training all school bus drivers. When our children are under the care of others, we have to ensure that they are in good hands.
Let us all be proactive in ensuring the safety of our children by advocating for better training and accountability for all those responsible for their transportation. We need to ensure that those entrusted with this position understand the gravity of their role and act accordingly. Our collective responsibility is to provide our children’s safety in all aspects.
