A Tulsa grandfather is seeking answers after his grandson, a special education student, was left on the bus last Friday. This incident marks the second time such a situation has occurred, adding to the family’s concerns about their grandson’s safe transportation to and from school.
The student, Jackson, who is on the autism spectrum, rides a special education bus to Memorial Middle School. Although he usually enjoys the bus ride, last Friday’s experience nearly prevented him from attending class.
Jackson’s grandfather, David Hindeman, expressed his concerns, saying, “He could have been left on the bus all day. Who knows?”
Hindeman observed the situation closely using a tracker device since Jackson has a tendency to wander. He noticed that while the bus was supposed to head to the school, the tracker showed the bus heading in the wrong direction.
“I was watching the tracker that morning,” Hindeman explained. “The bus arrived at the school but then started driving away. Normally, the tracker would show Jackson inside the school, but instead, it showed the bus heading north on South Memorial. That’s when we realized he was still on the bus.”
Hindeman immediately contacted the school’s transportation department. Initially, he was told by a staff member that Jackson had been dropped off at school. However, as Hindeman continued to monitor the tracker, he insisted that Jackson was still on the bus. The staff member eventually confirmed this, and the bus driver returned to the school.
Tulsa Public Schools responded by emphasizing their commitment to student safety. A district spokesperson stated, “Nothing is more important than protecting the safety of our children.” The district also noted that they had realized Jackson was still on the bus before Hindeman’s phone call.
Hindeman remained concerned about the situation, saying, “He did make it okay, but if we hadn’t had the tracker and been monitoring him, I really don’t know what might have happened.”
The district acknowledged that while they cannot discuss specific individual plans, they are focused on finalizing and improving safety procedures as the school year begins to ensure all students are protected.