Wilson Student Spends School Day Alone on Bus

Monday, Dustin Kissel, 9, spent the entire school day in a school bus.

Kissell said it was a long seven hours. He sat in a school bus all day with no supervision, apparently forgotten by the bus driver who was supposed to take him to class at Woodard Elementary School in Black Creek.

"I thought I was going to be staying there all day," said Kissel.

Kissel got in trouble last week for sliding around on the seats. He says long-time driver and teacher's assistant Emma Edwards told him to clean the bus before school and not to get out until she returned for him.

She returned just before 3 p.m.

Kissel's father is furious.

"We're talking about a 9-year-old child that was forced to stay in a school bus with no supervision, no food, no water and no bathroom facilities," said Gary Barba, Kissel's father.

"We feel like this was a mistake that an employee made that we do not condone," said Wilson School Superintendent Larry Price.

Price called Edwards to his office Tuesday morning. He says the driver told him a different version of the story but still resigned her position of more than 20 years.

Price said she made a mistake and that he is glad that Kissel was not hurt during the seven hours he was outside alone.

"We will use this to remind our principals and teachers and bus drivers that we need to be more careful in the way we conduct our responsibilities as educators," said Price.

Price is going to bring that up at the next staff meeting.