Joandrea McAtee, from Porter County, Indiana, is facing preliminary felony charges of child neglect after it was discovered she had allowed three students to take the wheel of a school bus. The 27-year-old bus driver was caught on camera in a now-viral video, allowing students from Boone Grove High School aged 11, 13, and 17 to drive for short distances in the rural area of Valparaiso.
The Porter County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a parent had contacted a resource officer from the school last Thursday, after hearing that McAtee had allegedly let students take turns learning to drive on her afternoon route.
Since this was confirmed, she has been fired by the company that runs the buses, arrested and charged with child neglect. First Student Inc. said in a statement:
"We are incredibly disappointed by the actions of our former driver. There is nothing more important to us than the safety of the students we transport. Behavior such as this is completely unacceptable and totally at odds with what we stand for as a company. The driver was terminated.
"We have a zero-tolerance policy for employees whose actions may harm or put others at risk."
“Okay, okay. First, what you got to do is put your foot on the brake," McAtee can be heard saying in one video posted to Twitter, while at another she can be heard saying, “It’s all good, I’m letting her stop at Michael’s stop".
The school district has also put out a statement about the matter at hand. "The Porter Township School Corporation is angered and disappointed in the actions of this driver," the statement read. "The safety of our students is a top priority. This individual's actions are not reflective of the hard work, dedication, and professionalism of our staff."
