A Dallas ISD preschooler, Araiya Pruitt, was left alone on a hot school bus for 7 hours, sparking outrage from her parents. Araiya, who is non-verbal and autistic, was picked up by the bus just before 8 a.m. and was not discovered until the end of the school day. Her father, Robert Pruitt, received a call informing him that his daughter had never made it to school and had been left on the bus for hours in the hot weather.
Araiya was taken to the hospital for evaluation and fluids before being discharged the same day. Dallas ISD has stated that they are investigating the incident and are committed to the safety and well-being of all their students. Pruitt said that the driver responsible has been fired, although this has not been confirmed by the district.
Pruitt emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of students on buses and hopes that this incident serves as a teaching moment for others. He expressed gratitude that his daughter was found unharmed but criticized the school district for failing to protect her. DISD Police are gathering video from the bus, and Pruitt wants to see the footage of what happened.
Overall, the incident has highlighted the need for increased vigilance and protocols to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Parents of students in the Dallas ISD are calling for improved safety measures to prevent children from being left unattended on buses.
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