Driver fired after bus altercation

MUSKEGON TWP., Mich. (WOOD) - A substitute bus driver in the Muskegon Orchard View School District was fired after the district says he got into a fight with students on the bus.

The guardians of one of those students says the district has recommended expulsion for at least two students involved in the incident.

Orchard View School District Superintendent Pat Walstra says that the driver, Brent Major, was fired because of the language he used when talking to the students. She says that the driver has the right to physically move students to the front of the bus that are misbehaving and refusing to move.

"You have a young man who is basically out of control. (The driver) is within the rights of the revised school aid code to restrain and move a student if other students are in jeopardy," Walstra said.

Walstra would not comment on the discipline the students involved would receive.

Jackie Johnson is the grandmother of one of the students involved in the altercation say that their grandson does not deserve expulsion. They say he only got involved to separate the driver and another student after the driver "lost his cool."

"He's a victim of circumstance," Johnson told 24 Hour News 8.

But district officials dispute that claim. They say the student had no reason to believe that the other student was in harms way.

When asked whether or not she saw any reason for other students on the bus to fear for the safety of their peers, Walstra said, "No I do not."

Exactly what happened was captured on the bus' surveillance system, but the district refused to allow 24 Hour News 8 access to the footage.

"It's not subject to FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) at this time," Walstra said. "Our legal department has advised us that that video is not available."

Walstra sighted the rights the district has to protect the privacy of the students.

24 Hour News 8 also requested that the students' identities be redacted from the footage. Walstra said the district would not be taking those steps.

"The best that I can tell you, is that we believe that we have fully investigated this," Walstra said. "We've had law enforcement involved. We've had the parents involved. We've had the children involved. We've had the bus driver involved. We believe at this time that the proper decisions have been made and the proper actions have been taken."

The fired substitute bus driver, Brent Major, says he hasn't been involved. He says the district fired him and now won't return his calls, and won't let him see the video in question.

"Did I lose patience with that kid? Yes, I did. I lost my patience with that kid very quickly. Did I strike him? No," Major said.

Major says he feels that his termination was not an appropriate response.

"I guess, I'm just like any normal person. Once you get pushed a little too far, things snap sometimes," Major said.

An Orchard View High School graduate, Major had been employed with the district for about six months.

24 Hour News 8 obtained his personnel file from the district, it was clean, and so was his criminal history.

Johnson says the family will press charges against the driver. They say he did hit the student, leaving a red mark on his face.

Muskegon Township Police did take a police report. The investigating officer did not return phone calls to comment about the incident.

The school district says the incident will be discussed at the board meetings in the coming weeks to determine what will happen to the students involved and any other action the district will take.

24 Hour News 8 will continue to monitor the situation.