Parent claims school bus driver mistreated elementary student

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Gaston County school officials are investigating one of its own bus drivers after a parent claims she witnessed him mistreating a young student as she dropped her own child off at Forest Heights Elementary Thursday morning.

The bus driver is accused of hurting a student.
 
"I have never been around nothing like that," said Angela Bryson, a witness.

Bryson said she went to school to drop off her son and she saw the bus driver yelling at a girl who appeared to be about 7 years old.

"(He told) her to shut up and get back on that bus," Bryson said.
 
She said the driver got physical and pulled her back onto the bus while the other children were headed to school.
 
She said she and several other parents saw this happen and one confronted the bus driver.
 
Bryson said the little girl was crying so she tried to calm her down.
 
The parent was so upset she went to school's central office to complain. 
 
She said when she got there school officials told her other parents who saw the confrontation also called to complain.
 
She said one school official told her she was personally going to look into the matter.

Gaston County schools spokesman Todd Hagans said, "The principal and the administration are looking into what happened. We take all complaints and concerns that we receive from a parent or community member seriously."
 
Channel 9 is still waiting to hear if the driver has been suspended.

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