Bus driver reacts to mentally challenged-bipolar student

DALLAS 11-13-2008 New information has revealed that both Dallas County and the Dallas Independent School District attempted to brush an incident, in which a bus driver choked a student on a school bus, under the rug. Claudia Nava was recently shown video of her son, who is a mentally challenged-bipolar student, being choked by a bus driver in reaction to his misbehavior on a bus. The incident happened in January, but Nava was never informed of it or shown the video until a news station brought it to her attention. And while Nava was never privy to the choking, neither was the Dallas Police Department when it came to the details of the case. Detective C.L. Williams said the district did follow protocol and send DPD a suspected child abuse report. However, now it appears there was some missing information. 'There was nothing in it that jumped out at us screaming this needs to be attended to immediately,' he said. Williams said DISD told them the case would be handled administratively, which led detectives to close the case. But when the DPD was informed of the suspected abuse case, they were never told of the video tape. 'I do think it should have been brought to our attention that there was a tape involved,' Williams said. Ten months passed before Dallas police revisited the case to get the full story. 'I agree retrospectively we should have probably done more,' Williams said. County documents also show higher ups questioned telling Nava what happened. 'My concern is once I advise the principal he will inform the parent,' read an e-mail from an area director. While Nava admits her son does have behavioral problems, she said that is why she requested a monitor on the bus. The day of the incident, the monitor couldn't make it. 'This is going to not end here,' Nava said. 'I think my son deserves better.' As for the driver, Janet Pitts, she wouldn't comment, which may be explained in another e-mail. Referencing a conversation between Pitts and an assistant superintendant, the county wrote that Pitts 'got the hint not to talk to reporters.' Nava said it all appears to be a cover-up and said she is ready to fight for her son and other special education students. 'They're human beings,' she said. Nava said step one of her battle will to see the driver stand before a grand jury.