[Published on November 4, 2016. Last updated on November 5, 2016, at 6:50 p.m., to include a parent’s statement.]
Marion Oaks — A Marion County school bus accident Friday left parents fuming when they were not immediately notified.
In an e-mail to Ocala Post, a resident wrote, “Parents should rightfully be pissed.”
According to the unnamed source, an accident, which only involved the school bus, that left several elementary school children with either a bloody nose, busted lip, or both. Some children also complained of a headache.
The accident allegedly occurred in the Marion Oaks area.
According to witnesses, the bus, number 3117, ran off the roadway after the driver missed a turn. The driver then “slammed on the brakes,” which propelled several of the children in a forward motion. Those children then struck the back of the seat in front of them.
Many parents said that they were not even notified of the incident. And those who were notified, allegedly were not contacted until five hours later.
“I was contacted by a school nurse five hours after the accident happened,” one parent wrote in an e-mail to Ocala Post.
Another parent wrote, “Paramedics did not even examine my child at the scene.”
Allegedly, paramedics were never notified. Instead, students were driven to school and examined by a school nurse.
Many parents told Ocala Post that they have called the transportation department, but were treated as if they were overreacting to the situation.
“I was told it was not an accident,” one parent said.
Ocala Post reached out to the Marion County Public Schools’ public relation department, as well as the MCPS Transportation department. Ocala Post is waiting on a response.
Ocala Post will continue to get answers for you.
Parents did not want to be named out of fear of retaliation against their children.
We want to hear from you. Do you think the bus driver should have remained at the scene and immediately notified first responders?