A Westborough, Massachusetts school bus driver was handcuffed and hauled in on charges of drunk driving while ferrying children to school this morning, causing outrage and consternation among parents and school officials. The bus, belonging to Westborough Public Schools, had about 30 students aboard when the driver, identified as 51-year-old Jane Welch of Marlborough, was arrested by local police at approximately 7:40 a.m. during her morning bus route.
Amber Bock, the Superintendent of Westborough Public Schools, immediately responded to the incident, saying in a letter to the school community, "We are shocked and dismayed about this." As noted by NBC10 Boston, Bock assured that a all the students from Mill Pond School on the bus were safe. The arresting location was at the Park Village, alarming but yet somewhat minimizing the potential danger the children were exposed to by the bus journey.
Police leveled charges against Welch for operating under the influence (OUI) second offense, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and child endangerment while operating under the influence. According to details obtained by WCVB, the concerned bus driver has already been terminated from employment by the NRT Bus company, which said in a statement that they were "deeply disturbed by the allegations."
In her communication to the parents and guardians of the schoolchildren, Bock expressed her frustration, stating, "We are saddened and frustrated to have to share that the Bus 8 driver was arrested Thursday morning at Park Village." She went on to emphasize the gravity of the situation, affirming the district's dedication to student safety as "the most important responsibility that we have," as reported by NBC10 Boston. Bock also indicated that the school system had contacted NRT to demand a thorough investigation into their procedures to understand how this breach of trust and safety occurred.
