Hello; This story hit close to home for me. I drove a school bus for 13 years. I did not have the problem mentioned in the story but the outcome reminded me of a similar problem. I have told this story before. A short version is the authorities took away all my bus discipline tools but I was kept responsible for things which happened on my bus. I declared that i would stop driving if I was not allowed to kick trouble causing students off the bus. I had to stop driving. I was lucky in that unlike the woman in the story, I did not own the bus.
the crux of the story seems to be the driver does not speak Spanish. That verbal bulling was happening among the Spanish speaking riders. She wanted only English spoken so she would know what was being said. The diver concedes the wording of a sign could have been clearer but even so was not inherently racist. But, of course, the authorities dump on her immediately, apparently without giving her a chance to explain. A phone call in the night canceling her contract.
One take i have is English is the national language and requesting it to be spoken makes sense. I also do not speak Spanish so would want only English as a school bus driver. I was applying for teaching positions after retiring in Kentucky and there were two common questions which followed after my science/Biology certification was established. Did i speak Spanish and did i coach a sport? I did neither. I did coach a school's academic team and was judge for regional academic contests during semifinals. But, of course, was never asked about such.
