It appears that five bad driving incidents in two years may be one too many for the Martin County School Board.
At its meeting Tuesday night, the school board rejected a settlement offer with bus driver Hans Schulte that would have imposed a two-day, unpaid suspension for the most recent incident that occurred Jan. 28.
While at the Jensen Beach Elementary School — without wearing his prescribed eyeglasses — Schulte is alleged to have hit a parked truck in the bus loop. It was the third time Schulte hit a parked vehicle while operating a school bus.
He also has two infractions listed in his employee driving record: leaving a kindergartner at a bus stop without any adult supervision and driving the wrong way on a street with students on his bus. Written reprimands were issued to Schulte for both incidents last October.
Now that the school board has rejected the settlement offer with Schulte, Martin County School District attorney Kim Sabol said a disciplinary hearing before the school board will take place. The date for the hearing has not yet been determined, although it could take 90 days. Until the hearing, Schulte will be paid his salary although he will not be driving a school bus for the district.
Martin County School Board Chairman Michael DiTerlizzi said he personally would not want his child to be on a school bus operated by this driver, even though rejecting the settlement allows the driver to collect his salary.
"At least he won't be driving the bus," DiTerlizzi said. "Our kids will be safer."
In a separate settlement agreement, the school board voted in favor of a three-day suspension and additional safety training for bus driver Susan Roberts, who failed to stop at a railroad crossing Jan. 12.
No students were on the bus at the time of the incident, which occurred at the airport business complex entrance on Old Dixie Highway in Stuart. As part of the settlement, Roberts agreed future misconduct will result in stronger disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
At its meeting Tuesday night, the school board rejected a settlement offer with bus driver Hans Schulte that would have imposed a two-day, unpaid suspension for the most recent incident that occurred Jan. 28.
While at the Jensen Beach Elementary School — without wearing his prescribed eyeglasses — Schulte is alleged to have hit a parked truck in the bus loop. It was the third time Schulte hit a parked vehicle while operating a school bus.
He also has two infractions listed in his employee driving record: leaving a kindergartner at a bus stop without any adult supervision and driving the wrong way on a street with students on his bus. Written reprimands were issued to Schulte for both incidents last October.
Now that the school board has rejected the settlement offer with Schulte, Martin County School District attorney Kim Sabol said a disciplinary hearing before the school board will take place. The date for the hearing has not yet been determined, although it could take 90 days. Until the hearing, Schulte will be paid his salary although he will not be driving a school bus for the district.
Martin County School Board Chairman Michael DiTerlizzi said he personally would not want his child to be on a school bus operated by this driver, even though rejecting the settlement allows the driver to collect his salary.
"At least he won't be driving the bus," DiTerlizzi said. "Our kids will be safer."
In a separate settlement agreement, the school board voted in favor of a three-day suspension and additional safety training for bus driver Susan Roberts, who failed to stop at a railroad crossing Jan. 12.
No students were on the bus at the time of the incident, which occurred at the airport business complex entrance on Old Dixie Highway in Stuart. As part of the settlement, Roberts agreed future misconduct will result in stronger disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
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