A host of complaints were filed against school bus driver Johnthony Walker before a tragic crash on Talley Road in Brainerd on Monday that claimed the lives of six children and left five others in the Intensive Care Unit.
County school officials said they forwarded all the complaints to his employer, Durham School Services.
Carlis Shackelford, Woodmore behavior specialist, said Walker had told the students he "did not care about them."
On several occasions transportation officials were studying video from the bus to check on other reported infractions and complaints by Walker about the behavior of the students..
Just four days before the wreck, Woodmore Elementary Principal Brenda Adamson-Cothran called Walker immature and complained about his cussing.
The same day a student wrote that the driver "drives too fast. It feels like the bus is going to flip over." The student also said the driver would cause the students to hit their heads by stopping quickly.
The day before, the principal said in an email to County School Transportation Director Ben Coulter that six students said that Walker was swerving and purposely trying to cause them to fall.
On Nov. 11, Ms. Adamson-Cothran reported that Walker "was, in my opinion, driving way too fast when he pulled out of our school. It was not as bad as yesterday, but it still was not optimal."
That same day, Mr. Coulter said, "We are going to talk to him about the amount of referrals. It does look like there are legitimate concerns from the second one (video) you sent me. Students will get hurt if they have their backs turned around in the seats. I don't want the driver to become discouraged, but he can't be turning 10 referrals in a day to you either."
Walker the previous day had turned in 10 referrals (complaints about the behavior of specific students).
Woodmore teacher Tersheia Hayes on Nov. 10 wrote: "On Wednesday, Nov. 9, one of the bus drivers (the younger male driver) reported the students listed on the first picture are sitting facing the back of the bus while in the seat, standing in the aisle of the bus or up within the seats, and/or horse playing while he is driving.
"He said he would write them up. He did not have the forms at the time, and stated he would return with them later that day. The first picture was sent via text message to Mr. Shackelford once we saw each other after morning dismissal from the gym.
"On Thursday, Nov. 10, the same bus driver reported another group of students including a few of the same students from the previous day were standing while he was driving and after he asked them to sit. He expressed a safety concern regarding it and when he need to brake and they could probably get hurt if they continue to stand or face the wrong direction.
"The names on the second picture were written down by the bus driver and he said he was planning to write them up. He did not have any forms at the time I spoke with Mrs. Cothran after morning dismissal from the gym about the concerns. She requested an email he sent with details about what was reported and to include the pictures of the names written by the bus driver to keep everyone aware and informed about what is taking place on the bus."
On Nov. 2, the principal said she had to go out to the bus several times. She said Walker was arguing with the students.
Mr. Coulter said to a Durham official, "This may be a situation where he needs to be coached on how to deal with the students. Can you have this looked into?"
Also, Mr. Coulter said on Nov. 2, "We are addressing this issue with the driver. Please keep me and Dominic D'Amico informed on the progress."
A parent said in a hand-written letter to school officials that "if another one of y'all bus drivers curse my kids and slam on brakes making them hit their heads and fall, I am going to beat his a-- my d--- self."
Another mother said if he "didn't stop driving so fast I am going to whoop his a--."
Click here to read the report.