A BPS bus driver resigned after he was suspended for an accident that killed 5-year-old Lens Arthur Joseph in late April, district workers mentioned Thursday.
“The death of a child is a horrible tragedy that no family should have to endure,” a district spokesperson mentioned Thursday. … “Over the past two weeks, BPS Transportation has gathered information on the events of April 28 and begun implementing an ongoing after action review and response.”
BPS recognized the bus driver as Jean Charles, an worker for Transdev since Could 2023. Charles resigned on Wednesday, simply previous to when his termination listening to was set to start, district officers mentioned.
The resignation comes simply over two weeks after Lens, a kindergartener at Up Academy in Dorchester, was struck and killed by a faculty bus after being dropped off on Washington Avenue in Hyde Park after faculty on April 28. Relations say Lens was along with his 11-year outdated cousin on the time.
Within the hours after the tragedy, the BPS spokesperson mentioned, district transportation officers and Transdev labored with the legislation enforcement on the scene, and the corporate “immediately placed the driver on leave.”
Charles had an expired faculty bus certificates on the time of the accident, in keeping with BPS and town, considered one of three licenses required to be a faculty bus driver in Massachusetts.
BPS was notified of the expired license after the accident, the district and metropolis said. Charles had the mandatory {qualifications} to resume the certificates and had been notified, in keeping with BPS and town, however had not carried out so.
BPS said it doesn’t independently confirm the drivers’ licenses or rent and make use of drivers.
Faculty Committee Chair Jeri Robinson and Superintendent Mary Skipper each commented throughout a Wednesday evening assembly on the deaths of Lens and one other 14-year-old scholar on the Roosevelt Ok-8 Faculty named Marvin, calling the loss profound and devastating. Particulars weren’t given on how the second scholar died.
“I just want to reassure the committee in the case of Lens and our bus accident,” Skipper mentioned, “We immediately have started to work with Transdev, which is the contractor that does our hiring and training of our bus drivers, to ensure that our bus driver group has been appropriately trained and to make sure that they’re supported. Because in any situation in which there is a loss of life of a student, that goes through the entire district.”
Skipper mentioned the district has been working instantly to assist the households and faculty communities.
Throughout the final two weeks, security management began reporting all security incidents at day by day operations conferences and Transdev has added security workers in Boston. Transdev can be accelerating drivers’ common trainings on pickup, drop off and accident protocols.
BPS mentioned the district is presently supporting the continuing investigation led by the Suffolk County DA’s Workplace and Boston Police. The district spokesperson mentioned they’re working to “share accurate information with the public as quickly and thoughtfully as possible,” which will probably be knowledgeable by the discharge of investigative conclusions.
A BPS spokesperson mentioned, “We mourn the death of Lens Joseph and grieve with his family at this terrible time.”
