Student punches school bus driver in the head
A student punched a Willow Run school bus driver in the head Thursday after the bus driver broke up an earlier fight between students, Washtenaw County sheriff’s deputies said.
The 37-year-old bus driver told deputies he broke up a fight between two students on a bus about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
A short time later, one of the students tried to get back on the bus at the Willow Run Community Schools campus in Ypsilanti Township, 235 Spencer Lane, but the driver refused to let him on. The student then punched the driver in the head, sheriff’s deputies said in a media summary.
The student was escorted from the bus, and school officials called police. The driver was not injured, deputies said.
The case will be referred to the Prosecutor’s Office for review.
Comments
boo
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 4:34 a.m.
before people go over reacting again, how old was the child? either way the behavior is unacceptable, but there is a difference between an angry out of control 7 year old and an angry out of control 17 year old. The bus drivers deserve better no matter what age, but a few facts might help us understand what happened.
jns131
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 5:26 p.m.
The bus driver takes a lot of guff. Willow Run tries to make it easier on each bus driver, but when you have the principal on the bus trying to calm two children screaming and or fighting on the bus, it does not make it any easier when the wrath comes the way of the fist. No one deserves this. I hope charges are brought against this child and the bus driver recovers quickly. Good luck to the driver what he decides to do to this child and his family.
N. Todd
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 4:07 a.m.
Congrats to the bus driver for showing restraint and not retaliating against the student. Although the quote: "The student was escorted from the bus" does leave open the possibility of a 'Chicken-Wing' or 'Full-Nelson" on the way out the door (personal wish - not speculation). Also, way to take a punch to the head with no injuries. Perhaps that's what Ignatz was getting at with his/her comment?
brightlights
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 11:35 p.m.
@mgill - you should pay better attention. The main reason the halls look empty, safe and calm is because kids are in classrooms, engaged in learning, with incredible high school staff. Take a longer look. In fact, come Tuesday and take a tour.
jns131
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 5:27 p.m.
Uh huh, that is because the teachers are struggling in their classrooms just trying to keep calm chaos. These children are only there to party. Nothing else.
Rachel Mattimoe Jenneman
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 10:14 p.m.
There are some great things happening in Willow Run. I wish annarbor.com could report some positive things once in a while.
Rachel Mattimoe Jenneman
Sun, Feb 19, 2012 : 12:26 a.m.
jns131, I have a feeling no matter what any one says, you will still have a negative and hateful view of Willow Run. We will keep fighting the good fight, for our kids, without you :)
jns131
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 4:11 p.m.
Name one.......I can't.
Rachel Mattimoe Jenneman
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 10:56 p.m.
Willow Run is the name of a school district, you seem confused. I've not heard of any killings at any of the schools.
stevek
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 10:41 p.m.
Exactly--maybe a headline like "Police Report Nobody was Killed in Willow Run Today"
The Black Stallion3
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 9:29 p.m.
You must be kidding.......not in Willow Run? Such a nice place.
jns131
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 4:11 p.m.
Your joking...right?
Kimberly
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 6:13 a.m.
Well I am a former Willow Run Graduate and I have nothing nice to say about the high school or any other school in the Willow Run district. Just last week my neice in middle school ask me to come pick her up so I walked into the office expecting them to ask for some ID and call her mom since I was not on the emergency card. Well much to my suprise the office staff was on the phone and chomping on cheetos when I asked her if she needed me to sign out my neice she said "HMHM we don't do that here".
rac
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 2:12 a.m.
When was the last time that you or STEVEK stepped foot in a Willow Run Building? I am a teacher at the high school. I have witnessed exactly one physical fight in the last year and half. In 20+ years of teaching, I have never felt unsafe at school. Many of the perceptions of Willow Run are totally unjustified. I have 8-10 students voluntarily report to school on Saturdays to work on projects every week. Some who walk 2-3 miles in cold. I have great kids. So yes, it is a nice place.
Ignatz
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 8:22 p.m.
How old/large was the student?
DBH
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 6:36 p.m.
Maybe he took his cue from this story: <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/police-host-of-super-bowl-party-punches-woman-in-head/">http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/police-host-of-super-bowl-party-punches-woman-in-head/</a> .
smokeblwr
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 6:16 p.m.
Should school bus drivers be armed? Maybe at least with mace or a taser for just this reason? Most kids nowadays are unstable and prone to violence.
germ
Sun, Feb 19, 2012 : 4:44 p.m.
you bring up a good point/issue. this is what everyone should be discussing instead of the fact that it was in the willow run school district. this could happen anywhere at anytime...even in ann arbor.
jns131
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 4:09 p.m.
This is very true for drivers in Detroit. The inner city children are out of control most times. I know, I did and quit. Done. But for the record? They can't carry anything to protect themselves except what is on the bus currently. And even then? Can't. Lawsuit galore. Willow Run is for the most part do have troubled children. Fights do break out. WR and Ypsilanti could do better.
jcj
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 3:04 p.m.
This will support what tim say's <a href="http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/micrime.htm" rel='nofollow'>http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/micrime.htm</a>
dexterreader
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 2:40 p.m.
What?? Did I just read what I think I read?? .... "Most kids nowadays are unstable and prone to violence." After working in public education for 31+ years, I can say confidently, and without a doubt, that most kids are NOT unstable and prone to violence. What in the world are you basing your opinion on??
tim
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 1:26 p.m.
Sorry -- I have the story wrong. Forty years ago a willowrun,Principal R. Wiley Brownlee Tarred and Feathered by the Klan.
tim
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 1:13 p.m.
Why do people always seem to think things were better in " the good ole days". Violent crime is much lower today that it was forty years ago, and by the way forty years ago the kids at Willow run tarred and feathered the school principle.
brightlights
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 12:36 a.m.
What an uneducated response - no data or research to prove your ridiculous statement.
jcj
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 12:04 a.m.
Thanks Scott. Maybe I meant I can't see any evidence. Not.
scott
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 11:37 p.m.
cite....
jcj
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 9:16 p.m.
There you go blowin smoke again! "Most kids nowadays are unstable and prone to violence." Please site evidence that "MOST kids nowadays are unstable and prone to violence." Spoken like someone that NEVER spends time around kids!
Peter
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 8:13 p.m.
No.
ranger007
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 5:37 p.m.
What a punk
mGill
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 5:29 p.m.
Can't say I's surprised. Has anyone been in Willow Run High Schoo lately? They don't even employ an office staff anymore. The place is like an abandoned school.
jns131
Sat, Feb 18, 2012 : 4:07 p.m.
I hate to say it, as I always do, but we live in the district and had our child opted out to Ann Arbor. As a few teachers have told me? This is more of a babysitting school then an educational building. The children are out of control and those who want to learn? Can't because of disruptions and such. This districts graduation rate is 50%. This article does not surprise me in the lease. Punch to the head? I think this driver needs to be checked out a little bit better.
Rachel Mattimoe Jenneman
Fri, Feb 17, 2012 : 10:11 p.m.
That's not true.