Parent tells school board her son was left on a bus, urges stronger safety checks

At the Dec. 16 Pinellas County School Board meeting, Rebecca Duvall described a Dec. 15 incident in which she said her son, who attends Pinellas High Innovation and has an individualized education program, was left on a school bus at about 7:19 a.m. and had to climb out a window.

Duvall said the child could have suffered serious harm, including an asthma attack, and that the episode was not the first concerning behavior by drivers on the route. She told the board that firing the driver would not be sufficient and asked for measures to ensure bus drivers perform required post-route checks and safe drop-off procedures.

District staff noted that public comments are recorded and that concerns raised will be reviewed and referred to appropriate staff members for follow-up; the transcript does not record a direct operational response or corrective action announced during the meeting.

What happens next: The board said it will review concerns raised by public commenters and may refer issues to staff for investigation and response.