HOUSTON – An Houston ISD bus driver landed in hot water after district officials said he was caught on video texting while driving a bus with kids on board.
The discovery was made while HISD officials said they were looking into another incident involving several bus drivers.
"That puts our kids in danger," said parent Tamika Brown. "Oh, that would be the last day they drive that bus."
HISD officials said they discovered the driver texting while reviewing video from cameras mounted inside school buses.
District officials said they began reviewing the video from several school buses in relation to incident involving several drivers using HISD bus radios to issue a lengthy prayer for the child of a colleague.
In that incident, the bus drivers were given a verbal warning not to use bus radios for personal matters.
While going through the video during the district's winter break, HISD officials said they discovered the driver texting on his cell phone while the bus was in motion and children were on board.
HISD officials said the driver was sent home Tuesday as the district works through its formal investigation and disciplinary process.
HISD officials declined to release the driver's name until this process is complete.
A handbook given to all HISD bus drivers shows use of a cell phone while a bus is in motion or students are being loaded or unloaded falls under the district's zero tolerance policy.
"I think that's very horrible since we place our kids in the hands of a bus driver," said Brown.
More information about the incident will available Wednesday, HISD officials said.