The Crook County School District says it has launched an internal investigation after children were allegedly left on a school bus while the driver went into a store for several minutes Wednesday afternoon.
In a letter to parents, Acting Superintendent Dr. Joel Hoff said the bus driver was picking up children after summer school programs ended at Barnes Butte Elementary and Crook County Middle and High schools.
Hoff wrote that the route includes a few in-town stops and then heads out to Paulina.
“The driver allegedly made a stop at Wilco and went inside for several minutes and left children unattended,” Hoff wrote.
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Hoff said the driver will be taken off duty and the district will open an internal investigation. He said the district transportation manager called the families of every child on the route to confirm what happened and what steps will be taken next.
“Safety is one of our top priorities as a school district, and we take these situations seriously. Children should never be left unattended without adult supervision while in the care of our school district,” Hoff wrote.
