Canadian Security Magazine

Parents want more security after boy beaten on school bus

By The Canadian Press   

News K-12 school bus

A couple of Edmonton parents are calling for additional security on school buses after their six-year-old son was beaten up by another student.

Sheila Goulet says no parent should have to see their child step off the school bus bloodied and bandaged.

She says six-year-old Joshua is now scared to go to school or even sleep alone since another boy attacked him on the bus home from St. Maria Goretti school last week.

Lori Nagy, spokeswoman for Edmonton Catholic Schools, says video from the bus was reviewed on Monday and it appears the attack on Joshua was unprovoked.

She says the other boy has been suspended from school for a week and from using the bus service indefinitely.

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The Goulets say there should be better supervision on the bus.

“I’m not sure how they’re going to do that,” Sheila Goulet admitted. “Do we need to put supervisors on the buses? The bus drivers have to be able to drive.”

She said for now, she won’t let him ride on the bus until she’s sure he’ll be safe.

“He was repeatedly punched. He was kicked,” she said. “His head was banged against the bus window until finally it was banged hard enough that it caused a cut in the back of his head, and he bled quite badly. It was devastating. It was horrible.”

The school board insists buses are safe for kids, but added it will review policies to see if they can be beefed up.

The bus company is also looking over its procedures.

“The safety and security of the students we transport is our top priority at First Student,” said a statement. “We were able to determine that this is a matter of student conduct. Our driver responded in accordance with the policies set forth by First Student and the school district.”


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