‘Under Review’: District apologizes after autistic student sent home to empty house
MT. VERNON, Ind. (Daily Reporter) — The Mt. Vernon Community School Corp. has apologized after a father complained that school staff failed to respond with urgency or empathy when his 7-year-old autistic son was mistakenly sent home on a bus to an empty house.
Erick Dongus emailed the school board around 6:30 p.m. Monday sharing what he considered to be a “serious safety issue” involving his son, and “to express my deep concern regarding the apparent negligence exhibited by Fortville Elementary School administrators.”
In the email, Dongus stated that on Oct. 7, his son was permitted to board a bus to his mother’s home after school without his consent or knowledge, despite the fact that there was no one home to receive him.
Dongus shared that his son is a consistent car rider from Monday through Wednesday each week, which he said he confirms with the school each Monday.
When he arrived at school Monday afternoon, Dongus said his son’s twin brother was released but his other son was missing.
“My concern was initially met with indifference, as the staff appeared more focused on directing traffic than on addressing the whereabouts of my child. After repeatedly asking where (he) was, I was told to pull around to another entrance, where I was left waiting for several minutes. Eventually, staff members … and another individual informed me that they had seen (him) board the bus,” he shared in his email.
“At this point, I was understandably frantic. Rather than taking immediate action to locate my child, the staff’s delayed response and dismissive attitude wasted valuable time. Only after pressing the issue was I told the bus could be contacted to return him, but by then it was too late – (my son) had already been dropped off at home, alone and unsupervised,” read the email, which was shared with the Daily Reporter.
“As you know, children with autism require additional support, especially in unfamiliar or potentially dangerous situations. The decision to allow (my son) to travel home unsupervised and to be left alone demonstrates a severe lapse in judgment and a failure to recognize the unique needs of vulnerable students. This oversight could have resulted in serious harm and must be addressed immediately,” Dongus continued.
In the email, he requested a meeting with school officials “to discuss how you will ensure that no child – autistic or otherwise – is placed in such a dangerous situation again. Furthermore, I want to address the unprofessional conduct displayed by the staff involved.”
The father wrote that the “lack of urgency and empathy” he encountered during the ordeal “is wholly unacceptable, and it reflects a deeper problem in the way this school is being managed.”
Dongus had a meeting with school officials Tuesday, during which they reportedly apologized for how the matter was handled.
In a response to a Daily Reporter inquiry, the district’s community relations director, Maria Bond, shared the following statement Tuesday afternoon:
“At MVCSC, student safety – especially during transportation – is a top priority, and we understand how upsetting it can be for parents when expectations aren’t met. After a thorough investigation, including a review of phone logs and many staff interviews, we are working to clarify our elementary dismissal policies and procedures….
“We have met with the parents and apologized for the delay in contacting the bus driver and for not providing the urgent assistance needed. We are reviewing our procedures for managing individual transportation plans and ensuring staff understand how to handle parent requests that deviate from the standard plan….
“We acknowledge that this situation revealed some gaps in our communication and response processes. Clear communication and timely follow-through are critical to maintaining parent trust and ensuring student safety. We are committed to strengthening our systems and better supporting our families.”
This article originally appeared in the Daily Reporter.