School Bus Driver Accused of Attacking Student

CHICAGO — A school bus driver here has been accused of attacking a 9-year-old student, officials said.

Ryan Glew of Evanston Police Department told The Chicago Tribune that school bus video from March 1 shows 71-year-old David Rennie pushing the Orrington Elementary School student, picking him up, shoving him toward the window, spinning him around, and forcing him to sit down in his seat. Glew added that it appeared the bus driver lost his temper over the student’s behavior on the bus, which he said was “not appropriate.” Glew told the newspaper that no injuries were reported, and that Rennie, who was charged with misdemeanor battery, is currently out on bond.

The student’s aunt told CBS 2 that she warned the school’s bus company, Positive Connections, about the driver three or four weeks prior to the incident. She added that Rennie previously spoke to her 10-year-old daughter inappropriately.

Paul Goren, superintendent for Evanston/Skokie District 65, sent an email to parents, according to The Chicago Tribune, detailing the district’s response to the incident. Goren said in the email that the student is “doing fine,” and that Positive Connections has since terminated Rennie and assigned a new driver to the bus route. Goren also added that the district's director of transportation services will ride the student's bus and other buses randomly in the upcoming weeks, and continue to review school bus video surveillance tapes.