According to Sgt. Jim Cunningham, the girl was fighting with another 17-year-old female student who is nine months pregnant while they were being transported home from Union Day School, an alternative school in West Chester Twp. Carol Thompson, an aide on the bus, attempted to intervene and sustained a “severe bruise to her arm” from the 16-year-old student, according to police and district officials.
The pregnant student and the bus driver, Sharon Brate, were also allegedly struck by the 16-year-old before the girl fled from the bus while it was stopped at the intersection of Manchester Road and Breiel Boulevard, Cunningham said.
Thompson and the pregnant student were transported to Atrium Medical Center for treatment. Cunningham said he did not believe the student’s injuries were severe. Thompson was listed as being treated in the emergency room Monday afternoon, according to hospital staff.
The altercation follows a Friday incident when 15-year-old Devin Lewis had a chunk of his hair burned off by another student on the bus. Three students were suspended from school for 10 days and have been charged by police in that case. They are scheduled to appear in Butler County Juvenile Court today.
Lewis said Monday that he is speaking out about his ordeal because he — and others — has been bullied in the past.
“It is an epidemic,” Lewis said. “There are a lot of kids out there in the same situation. Nobody should feel like they’re not safe at school.”
District spokeswoman Debbie Alberico said Monday’s altercation remains under investigation. She said there is no connection between the two incidents.
“We don’t tolerate any of this stuff,” Alberico said. “We don’t tolerate lighting hair on fire, fighting, hitting, bullying and serious misbehavior.”
Both buses involved in the recent altercations were equipped with cameras, installed in the 1980s. However, neither camera was working, Alberico said.
“We’ve always been concerned about bus safety,” she said. “Central office, the high school, we’re just going to be more diligent and practice our safety rules.”
Transportation Supervisor Mike Hammond will soon speak with district bus drivers about student safety, Alberico said.
Staff writer Lauren Pack contributed to this report.
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