Mother Upset Over Elementary School's Breach In Safety
By: Jocelyn Tovar, KARK 4 NEWS
Updated: January 28, 2013
Parents in one central Arkansas town are concerned after their children were let out of their elementary school late and missed their buses.
"She left from here and took off to the opposite side of campus," said Amy Kennedy.
Kennedy's 11-year-old daughter Sierra was picked up by a friend of the family Friday afternoon after she missed her school bus.
"She saw my daughter sitting across campus crying in the grass," said Kennedy, but she soon came to find out it was not her daughter's fault.
"I asked her I said tell me exactly what happened," she said.
Sierra said a group of fifth graders at H.L. Lubker Elementary in Bald Knob were having class in a room with no clock.
The teacher lost track of time and let the students out late.
Completely unsupervised, and watching her ride home drive away, Sierra panicked and chased after her bus.
"I guess she just collapsed from what I understand she's okay," Kennedy added, "Nothing happened, and I am so thankful for that."
Considering what happened at the school just over one year ago when, school officials confirm, a strange man came to campus and tried to take a student home.
"The teacher had enough sense to stop and say something's not right here," Kennedy said.
The school she said responded quickly to that breach, notifying parents that steps were being taken to ensure it would never happen again.
"Which is basically what I'm looking for here," she said.
"Student safety is the utmost importance," said Bald Knob Superintendent Dr. Keith Williams.
He said they constantly try and improve their bus system and this is now a top priority.
"This is one area we'll pay even more attention too and hopefully it'll never happen again," he said.
"I have to trust these teachers are going to watch my child like I do at home," Kennedy said.
So that nothing can go so wrong, so quickly, again.
Dr. Williams said the school district's transportation director was on site during this incident and helped the other stranded students get home safely.
"She left from here and took off to the opposite side of campus," said Amy Kennedy.
Kennedy's 11-year-old daughter Sierra was picked up by a friend of the family Friday afternoon after she missed her school bus.
"She saw my daughter sitting across campus crying in the grass," said Kennedy, but she soon came to find out it was not her daughter's fault.
"I asked her I said tell me exactly what happened," she said.
Sierra said a group of fifth graders at H.L. Lubker Elementary in Bald Knob were having class in a room with no clock.
The teacher lost track of time and let the students out late.
Completely unsupervised, and watching her ride home drive away, Sierra panicked and chased after her bus.
"I guess she just collapsed from what I understand she's okay," Kennedy added, "Nothing happened, and I am so thankful for that."
Considering what happened at the school just over one year ago when, school officials confirm, a strange man came to campus and tried to take a student home.
"The teacher had enough sense to stop and say something's not right here," Kennedy said.
The school she said responded quickly to that breach, notifying parents that steps were being taken to ensure it would never happen again.
"Which is basically what I'm looking for here," she said.
"Student safety is the utmost importance," said Bald Knob Superintendent Dr. Keith Williams.
He said they constantly try and improve their bus system and this is now a top priority.
"This is one area we'll pay even more attention too and hopefully it'll never happen again," he said.
"I have to trust these teachers are going to watch my child like I do at home," Kennedy said.
So that nothing can go so wrong, so quickly, again.
Dr. Williams said the school district's transportation director was on site during this incident and helped the other stranded students get home safely.
