A Texas school bus driver is facing criticism after a video surfaced showing students pleading for relief from extreme heat inside an un-air-conditioned bus. The incident occurred last Thursday in the Sealy Independent School District, approximately 55 miles west of Houston, during a day when temperatures neared triple digits.
The driver is accused of driving slowly on the bus route and forcing the students to close the windows, leaving them to endure the stifling heat. The only air circulation available on the bus was a fan directed at the driver herself, according to attorney Harry Daniels, who represents the mother of two students on board.
Daniels criticized the driver’s actions, stating, “She needs to be terminated.” He added that the bus took 30 minutes to travel a 3-mile route, which should have taken only 6 minutes. The video shows students expressing their discomfort, with one saying, “It’s so hot, bro,” and another pleading, “Miss, it’s hot back here. These children need to breathe. You need to get us home.” The video ends with students shouting in frustration, with one exclaiming, “It’s not fair,” and another begging, “Please just take us home.”
The Sealy Independent School District has not provided details about the driver’s employment status but denied that she was driving slowly to punish the students. Superintendent Bryan Hallmark explained that the driver was maintaining a speed she felt was safe for the dirt roads. Hallmark also mentioned that during the incident, the bus’s roof hatches and windows were open, but the driver stopped the bus briefly after a student stuck their head out of a window, instructing the students to close the windows for safety.
“We take these concerns very seriously,” Hallmark said, acknowledging the intense heat on buses during the summer months. He noted that the district had adjusted the bus route to minimize time spent on dirt roads and ensure students get home faster.
The incident has raised concerns about student safety and the need for improved measures on school buses, especially in areas prone to extreme heat. While no formal investigations have been launched, parents and advocates like Daniels are pushing for accountability and better protections for students during transit.