Harris County elementary students stuck in hot school bus with no A.C., parents say

Harris County students left on bus with no AC

Parents are upset after they say a Harris County school district's bus was stopped by the driver for an extended period, leaving their children on board without air conditioning.

HOUSTON - Multiple Goose Creek CISD parents reached out to FOX 26 after their kids were allegedly left on a school bus with no air conditioning for an hour in the extreme heat.

The parents are concerned about the alleged incident, and many say they will not allow their children to ride again with the same bus driver.

Kids stuck on hot school bus

What we know:

The Goose Creek CISD says the bus driver did everything by the book. However, parents are beyond upset. Their kids attend Harlem Elementary and after school on Wednesday, they say the bus driver pulled over along Morelos Road. They say they got calls from their kids crying that the A.C. was off and were screaming for help.

Parents express concerns

What they're saying:

"I don’t understand how someone who is supposed to be an adult overseeing the kids, can just sit there while they are screaming, letting you know they couldn’t breathe. The last two days have been the hottest it’s ever been," said parent Janiah Deleon.

"I know one student along with mine were taken to the emergency room due to being in the heat for so long it was literally an hour," said parent Keshawna Benjamin.

"All the kids are going crazy, their faces are red, they are crying, screaming. They said they needed help and asked to call their parents. It was a whole situation," said parent Dezalai Cormier.

School district says protocols were followed

The other side:

The Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District said in a release:

"The district’s bus driver temporarily pulled the bus over due to student behavior that posed a safety concern. In accordance with district protocol – the driver remained on the bus, kept it running and called for assistance. At no point did the driver leave the students unattended. A concerned community member, observing the situation from outside the bus, contacted emergency services. Responders arrived and confirmed that the situation was being appropriately managed by district staff. The safety of all students and staff remains our top priority, and the incident was resolved without further issues. Additionally, the bus driver confirmed that he never turned the air conditioning off, and the Director of Transportation confirmed that it was still on when she arrived at the bus. The bus's open windows and doors may have caused it to be warmer than usual."