“I’ve been a school bus driver in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for over 30 years, so my life changed literally overnight with this sign,” says Judy McBride, who had been driving this route with this particular school for about 12
At 66 years old, Diane Crawford was a school bus driver for over 30 years before being suddenly taken out of service due to an event that occurred in a span of mere hours. The incident, according to Crawford, left her stunned, heartbroken, and confused as to how things went so terribly wrong so quickly.
The controversy started when Crawford posted the below-written message on her school bus to ensure students did not speak Spanish when the bus was in motion. The incident was reported, and the school administration took immediate action to investigate the matter. Crawford admitted writing the message and received notification the very next night that her contract had been canceled.
However, Crawford repeatedly emphasizes that it was never her intention to direct the sign at any one language, culture, or students. According to Crawford, she based the sign purely on problems she has been experiencing regarding maintaining order in the bus. Specifically, she claims that she has problems with one bilingual student who frequently causes disruptions to the students around him while speaking in Spanish and that she cannot comprehend what exactly the students were doing, which made her fear that others might be being bullied or harassed among others.
As the individual charged with the welfare of students, Crawford reports being placed in the impossible position of needing to keep control of the class and safeguard their welfare, all the while being unable to fully participate in class discussions immediately behind her. She admits, in reflection, that the language used on the sign was a tragic error, one she sincerely regrets.
“I never intended to hurt anyone,” Crawford continued to say, expressing that she wishes she would have dealt with the situation differently.
The aftermath of this event was both rapid and harsh. After all these many years of hard work, Crawford suddenly found herself without a job, without a source of income, or even a viable future. These days, she is dependent on Medicare, Medicaid, and food support. This shock, as Crawford says, left her both overwhelmed and very sad.
Nonetheless, the administration defended their response by saying that when Crawford finally confessed to creating the sign, the administration moved swiftly. The administration revealed that the number one concern is to ensure that every student feels safe and welcome going to and from school regardless of their language and background.
“It’s been utterly devastating for Crawford,” says Ms. Smith, summarizing the impact that the experience has had on her. “What she had thought would be the last years of an extensive career in life ironically happened almost instantly,” so that she had had to face not only difficulties in making ends meet, but also the pain associated with having lost her cherished vocation. “I hope people can learn from my mistake,” she said. “I hope my years of service are remembered more than this. This is something in my life that I wish I could go back and undo, but unfortunately, it can’t be undone. But I hope my service to my community has meant something
