Parent says two violent incidents on elementary bus spurred calls for permanent monitor and clearer discipline

A South Orangetown parent told the Board of Education she filed two incident reports after her 5-year-old was struck twice while riding Bus 10 Bells during the first month of school, including a zipper cut that left a wound above his eye.

Candace Varian, identified in public comment as a parent, told the board: “In less than 1 month, unfortunately, I've had to file 2 incidents reporting involving my 5 year old son who just started kindergarten.” She described an early incident in which another boy “hit my son across his mouth” and later an Oct. 1 episode in which “she came around while the bus was in motion, clenched her teeth and fist and started swinging her sweatshirt…when he was cut with the zipper.”

Varian said a bus monitor was assigned after the first incident but that staff told her the monitor was only temporary. She urged the district to “implement a clear, defined bus safety plan moving forward” that includes “permanent adult supervision on the bus as well as disciplinary action to prevent further misconduct.”

The district provided immediate responses to Varian: school staff met with the students and parents after both incidents, and a board speaker later said the district is addressing the issue. Varian said the driver radioed the incident into the school and that staff “had the girl apologize to my son.” She warned that incidents of this kind “could easily open the school district up to significant liabilities.”

Superintendent (unnamed in the public transcript) told the meeting: “We are addressing the issue,” and school staff present confirmed meetings with families and temporary monitoring assignments. The transcript records William O. Schaefer staff—identified in public comment as “Mister Galvin”—as having met with the students and parents and assigned a temporary bus monitor.

The parent also reported ongoing nonphysical misconduct on the bus—name-calling, spitting, throwing items, running and pushing—that she said the driver is being asked to manage while driving. She argued that “the bus driver's only concern should be getting our children from point A to point B safely.”

Board members did not take a formal vote during public comment, but the public record shows board members acknowledged the complaint and said administration is working on it. The district’s written public comment rules — read into the record earlier in the meeting — direct that issues involving specific students be addressed through school administrators and caution that student names or situations cannot be discussed publicly because of FERPA.

The meeting transcript does not record a specific, board-adopted bus-supervision policy or a timeline for implementing a permanent monitor. Varian requested immediate action; the district response in the meeting was limited to staff meetings, temporary monitoring and parent contact as described above.

The board did not vote on or adopt a new bus-safety rule at the meeting; Varian asked the board to direct administration to produce a permanent plan and to take disciplinary steps “to prevent further misconduct.”