Parent alleges heat-exhaustion and neglect on Princeton district bus; board declines verbal response

Rachel Lemker told the Princeton Board of Education during public comment that her son was aboard a district bus on Aug. 18 and suffered heat exhaustion while on the vehicle.

"He was so hot that I believe the driver and aide should be charged with child endangerment," Lemker said, recounting that her son repeatedly told staff he was hot, attempted to get water from an empty bottle and used an ice pack from his lunch to cool himself. She said he lay down at one point and called for help but was ignored.

Lemker said she sought the names of the driver and aide at the transportation office and encountered hostility, that she involved police when she received no response, and that she reviewed bus video showing her son trying to cool himself. She also said a Hamilton County prosecutor had described the students as neglected in an email she possesses. Lemker said district administrators told her the bus had working air conditioning but that the video suggested otherwise and that she was told to obtain a subpoena to get a redacted copy of the bus footage.

The district’s written reply, described by Lemker during her remarks, included an email from Superintendent Mr. Card saying he disagreed that the students were put in harm’s way; the board did not give a verbal response during the meeting. The board president said afterward that the district would not respond verbally during the public comment period.

No disciplinary action, personnel outcome or formal vote on this specific allegation was recorded at the meeting. Lemker asked the board for accountability and changes to policy and procedure to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The board’s publicly posted minutes and any subsequent statements from the superintendent or transportation director would provide additional detail about what investigations the district completed and whether policies or staff actions followed. At the meeting the district said it cooperated with police on an investigation; Lemker said police were asked to turn off body-worn cameras at the direction of the district’s legal team when they investigated.

Next steps described at the meeting: board members acknowledged the comment and referred it to staff; no vote or formal direction was announced in open session.