2 Kids Found Sleeping On School Buses In Paterson

Two children were found sleeping on school buses in separate incidents this week - and a New Jersey school district has taken action.

A first-grader and a child in kindergarten both fell asleep aboard their school buses in Paterson and went unnoticed for up to 90 minutes. The first incident involved a 6-year-old girl on Friday, and the second incident involved a 6-year-old boy on Monday, according to ABC7.

A bus driver and his aide were fired Monday after the 6-year-old boy was found sleeping on a school bus, according to ABC7 and nj.com.

Paterson Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer said the two companies - US Student and A1 Elegant - fired the drivers and monitors, according to the reports. The companies were each fined $1,000.

"That cannot be forgiven," said Eileen Shafer, Paterson Schools Superintendent told ABC7, saying one child was discovered while the driver was getting gas.

"He found him when he was getting gas. Looked back, found the child, brought the child back to school," Shafer told the station.

Shafer says that the school principals followed the correct protocols when the children didn’t show up to school, and called their parents, according to News12. He said these incidents were intolerable, and she is putting all of the district's 21 bus companies on notice that bus contracts will be canceled if any future incidents happen.

"I made it very clear to them this morning that they signed off on this, and they agreed to do the walks on the bus after they drop the children off,” Shafer told News12. “I'm sure after we met today and after we put our own check in tomorrow, that this will not happen again"

Patch file photo