FRANKFORT, IL – A father is demanding answers this week after his special needs child was left unattended on a school bus for the second time, without any notification.
Matt Urby took to the NextDoor App this week to express his concerns and seek support from the community.
In his post, Urby recounted the alarming incident:
“My daughter has special needs and they left her on the bus as she fell asleep. Was marked absent at school and no one notified us from the school or bus company till the bus returned with my daughter at 9:30am today which she got on the bus at 6:50am.”
Urby expressed frustration, stating that the school seemed indifferent to his concerns and suggested he contact the district transportation center, which provided no resolution.
According to Urby, his daughter was eventually found by another student on the bus, who happened to be from a different school. The child was dropped back at her home hours later, not at the school, resulting in her being marked absent.
Urby raises the unsettling question of what might have happened if they were not home when the bus unexpectedly returned?
According to Urby, the distressing incident has occurred twice in just a year and a half, despite documented policies and procedures. Urby insists that his intent is to ensure accountability and prevent such incidents from happening to any child, especially one with special needs. He emphasizes the importance of following established protocol.
The school, Summit Hill Junior High School, was contacted via email early Friday morning for comment regarding their policies and the bus driver’s oversight. No response was received by our deadline.
As Mr. Urby anxiously awaits answers, the community wonders what steps the administration will take to guarantee the safety of his child and prevent any future occurrences.
