A longtime school bus driver fired from her route after allowing a student to rescue a kitten
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A longtime school bus driver was fired from her route after stopping to allow a student to rescue an injured kitten.
Cynthia Morgan, who has been a driver for Harford County Public Schools in Maryland for 11 years, was removed from her route this week. Confirming the news to CBS News Baltimore but opting not to appear on camera, she told the outlet that she has been left devastated by the decision.
Morgan had told 10-year-old Alex to retrieve the kitten on Heaps School Road in Pylesville, with the youngster holding onto the cat all the way to school. His mother, Taffy Thomas, told The Baltimore Sun that she is “100 percent behind” the bus driver.
The mom says that her son would have been “devastated” if they had left the cat.
“The fact that she was let go because of an act of kindness does really weigh on him,” Taffy said. “That is unforgivable and cruel.”
The community has rallied behind Morgan, with Julie Long, a member of the local community, launching a petition on Change.org to have the bus driver’s job reinstated.
“Over the years, Cynthia has become more than just a bus driver to our children; she is someone they look forward to seeing every morning and afternoon,” Long wrote. “Her kind and warm nature makes the pupils feel safe and comfortable.”
Long added, “This is not just my personal sentiment – countless parents and students share the same view.”
The incident unfolded on Heaps School Road, and footage reviewed by CBS News Baltimore showed little traffic on the road.
“She wouldn’t have done it, let a child get off the bus to get a kitten if it was a more high-traffic road,” Carolyn Kalambihis, a parent, told the outlet.
The mom did note that she believes Morgan made a mistake.
“It shouldn’t have happened,” she said. “I believe she knows that and understands, and looking back, knows she made a mistake and should not have done what she did.”
Morgan shared an October 5 letter with The Baltimore Sun from district Transportation Director Danielle Bedsaul to contractor Cleary Transportation, with whom the driver has worked for seven years. In the letter, Bedsaul cites “multiple incidents” involving Morgan, some including “concerns regarding inappropriate interactions with students.”
The letter also revealed that Morgan had driven with the cat on her lap after Alex went to school, with the kitten remaining onboard for the rest of her journey. In a meeting with district officials, she defended her actions and claimed that she had not put the student at risk.
Kalambihis defended Morgan’s character while speaking to CBS News Baltimore.
“Every year at the beginning of the school year she buys every child on the bus school supplies,” she said. “She buys them gifts for Christmas, every holiday, birthdays; she gives them birthday cards, all out of her own pocket.”
“Certification and decertification are not always based on a single factor but often involve consideration of multiple circumstances and requirements,” the school district told the outlet in a statement. “Student safety remains our top priority, and all certification decisions are made with that responsibility in mind.”
The Independent has contacted Cleary Transportation and district officials for comment.
