MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Liberty Elementary student was left behind on a Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) bus after all other students got dropped off at school on Tuesday morning.
Our partners, Clarksville Now, first reported that the student fell asleep on the drive to school and did not get out with the rest of his classmates.
"The bus driver returned the bus to the parking lot and left the child unattended. The driver failed to do the thorough check required per CMCSS policy after every route," a spokesperson for CMCSS told News 2 via email. "A CMCSS Transportation maintenance employee noticed the child still on the bus, after the driver had left, and returned the child to school. The child’s parents were contacted to inform them about the situation."
The bus driver has reportedly been employed by CMCSS for three years with no prior safety incidents.
A representative for CMCSS said that the driver has been placed on an alternative work site, pending the outcome of an investigation by the district's human resources department.
"The CMCSS Transportation Department is working with its trainers and lead drivers to ensure all drivers receive reminders about the District’s safety policies and procedures and their responsibility to ensure no child is left unattended that they acknowledge after training," the spokesperson added. "Please click here for the CMCSS Child Safety Bus Scan Alert System Policy."