February 13, 2025

CPS

Travel Adventure

Concord Monitor – How one Allenstown bus driver’s removal from his route divided the school community

Concord Monitor – How one Allenstown bus driver’s removal from his route divided the school community

Two of Heather Sargent’s children came home crying on Monday afternoon after their bus driver, Shawn Newell – known as “Mr. Shawn” to the kids he transports – was removed from his role driving for Allenstown Community School’s purple bus route, she told the school board.

“It was devastating. That’s not right.” Sargent said at an emergency meeting on Wednesday evening, where she expressed feeling like the school did not communicate adequately with her children about the change.

“Nobody gave them the time of day to say, ‘You’re going to have a different bus driver,’” she added.

Dozens of parents and members of the Allenstown school community turned up at the meeting to express frustration at Newell’s abrupt removal and lack of available information, sometimes shouting and calling each other names. Town police and fire officers patrolled the venue for crowd control, since a school concert was happening in the gym at the same time as the board meeting unfolded.

Those hoping to leave the meeting with a clearer sense of the situation did not receive the answers they sought. After an hour-marathon of public comments, the board entered into two non-public sessions, one with Newell and one without. When they returned, board chair Jody Moore stated that attendees could file a Right to Know request for more information. Some attendees questioned if there was a safety concern that led to Newell’s removal, but the school board didn’t provide information either way.

The meeting concluded with a board decision to have district administrators engage in conversation with Dail Transportation ahead of any further action by the board.

“After our discussion, I just want to let the public know here tonight that we will certainly take the public comments under advisement,” Moore said.

Parents Kevin and Nicole Lussier had expressed concern to school leaders regarding their children’s experiences on Newell’s bus route, which led to conversations between school administration and the bus company in September.

Article continues after…

The concerns centered around assigned seating on the bus, the arrival time of the bus at its designated stop, and an incident regarding discipline of children on the bus, Newell said in an interview.

The school board went into a nonpublic session with the Lussiers at their Dec. 12 meeting and then voted to remove Newell from the route. Newell said he did not know his position was being discussed at the meeting and only learned that he was being taken off his route the next day after the bus company received an email. Kelly Dobe of Dail Transportation said at the meeting that there were no safety infractions pertaining to Newell. The company was willing to keep him on, but he ultimately resigned because he did not want the company to come under fire.

“It definitely hasn’t been easy,” Newell said. 

Kevin Lussier said he holds “no personal grievances” against Newell. He explained at the meeting that in response to his concerns, he had initiated several conversations over the past two school years with the bus company, the superintendent, and the school. He contacted the school district “to explore many options in dealing with my situation,” Lussier said.

“As a parent, my child’s well-being is my top priority,” Lussier said. “We are responsible for ensuring their best interests are upheld.”

After speaking with the board during the first nonpublic session at Wednesday’s emergency meeting, Newell said he was able to give members his side of the story but was frustrated he didn’t receive information on why he was removed from his position.

Newell had been driving for Allenstown through Dail Transportation for four years. He has four children who attend Allenstown Community School, and he also coaches football and baseball in the community, he said.

Newell said that he made an effort to make every kid on his bus feel comfortable and safe. He told the board that part of the reason he valued his job so much was because it allowed him to take his children to school while still working.

“So it’s not possible for me to just go drive in another town,” Newell said. “I told them they would have known that if they actually took the time and did an investigation before just making a decision during a vote.”

In the days leading up to the emergency meeting, an online petition circulated in support of Newell.

Lussier said once it hit social media his family has felt targeted and fearful.

“We are concerned for our safety, as we fear that someone may cause harm. It feels deeply disheartening and unsettling. Shame on those who have fueled this rhetoric,” he said.

In an attempt to quell the stream of social media posts, Superintendent Jack Finley sent an email on Monday to parents and families referring to the personnel change on the bus and encouraged parents to attend board meetings or email school board members.

“We encourage people to use established channels for feedback, such as attending board meetings, or contacting members through their official district email addresses,” Finley wrote. “Let’s prioritize constructive dialogue to ensure the well-being of our school community, especially our children.”

In a conversation with the Monitor on Thursday, Finley explained that Allenstown does not operate its own transportation company.

“Technically people working for Dail Transportation are not our employees,” Finley said. “There are other things that the board can exercise in the contract, and I think that’s where they were operating from.”

Allenstown Community School Principal Shannon Kruger sent a message to parents Tuesday, stating that she rode the bus during its afternoon routes that day, reiterated expectations for student behavior and bus safety, and answered some questions. While calling students “resilient, adaptable and kind,” she said that Mr. Tom would be “the driver for the foreseeable future” and was “getting to know the students”

As a parent, Sargent said disliked that the kids received a talk on bus safety when she felt the bus driver’s removal stemmed from trouble involving parents, which were never explained by the school or the district. She wants her children to feel safe and happy attending school and riding the bus without getting wrapped up in disputes between grown-ups.

“When you have emotionally charged adults, you can only imagine how emotionally charged the kids get,” she said.

Beyond calling the emergency meeting and listing “purple bus” as an agenda item, the school board did not answer community questions or address concerns vocalized at the meeting. Parents who spoke said their kids were sad about the driver’s departure. Some mentioned financial concerns about gas money to drive their kids to school if their children no longer want to ride the bus without Newell. Many also expressed anger at a lack of information and how the divisive rhetoric has trickled down to the kids, some of whom are now afraid to ride the bus, while others are afraid of being bullied at school.

“I want to be clear that what has happened has truly saddened me,” Lussier said. “It is my hope that we can all move forward with kindness, compassion, and the best interests of our children at the forefront.”

Sargent, who initially spoke during the public comments, teared up when thinking about how hurtful it felt for her family to not know what’s going on. If there was a concern with the bus driver, she wanted to know about it, she said.

“If the board was going to make such a reactive decision, they needed to have a plan in place and proper communication with parents,” she added.

Newell expressed disappointment with the way he has been treated and hopes he can return to his route. Allenstown, like most districts, is experiencing a shortage of bus drivers.

“We all want answers, not just me,” said Newell, who still hopes to regain his job. “It’s discouraging, knowing that these are the people that somehow got voted in and won’t answer us. We elected you, I feel  like you should answer us.”

link

Copyright © All rights reserved. | Newsphere by AF themes.