Some parents in McKinney are demanding answers and compensation after their kids are taken on an impromptu after-school field trip.
The parents of 13 kids who attend McClure Elementary School in the McKinney ISD say their bus driver diverted from the normal route after school last Tuesday afternoon.
"They ended up eight and a half miles away in Allen, not even in McKinney," says Matt Aulsbrook, the attorney representing the parents of the 134 kids. "And the kids are freaking out and wondering what's going on. They thought they were being kidnapped."
The parents are suing the McKinney ISD; Durham School Services, the bus company that the district contracts with; and the driver identified in the lawsuit as "Isabel Doe."
The McKinney ISD says in a statement that the diversion was unintentional.
"A Durham Transportation driver new to this particular route inadvertently went the wrong direction and off course from the scheduled route," the statement read in part. "The driver corrected her course and was able to return to the normal route and safely drop off all students."
Aulsbrook doubts that the driver's actions were inadvertent.
"The bus driver says, 'I'm going to teach you all a lesson (and) teach you all not to be talking so much,'" said Aulsbrook.
The temperature outside that afternoon was an unseasonably warm 82 degrees; and Aulsbrook says as such, the temperature inside the bus topped 90 degrees.
That led to some students suffering heat-related illnesses.
"Kids getting off the bus red-faced (and) crying," Aulsbrook said. "Some had hives and were just very traumatized from the encounter."
"At no time during the bus route was student safety ever compromised, and no students were harmed," the McKinney ISD's statement continued. "Any claims to the contrary are frivolous and without merit."
Among other things, the parents are seeking more than $1 million in damages.
Aulsbrook said the experience has traumatized the kids involved.
"A lot of them are scared to get back on the bus, frankly," said Aulsbrook.
KRLD has reached out to Durham School Services for reaction and is waiting to hear back.
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