A Texas school bus driver is under scrutiny after allegedly forcing students to close windows and driving slowly on a hot day, leaving the children in unbearable conditions. Temperatures near triple digits made the situation even more severe on Thursday, when the Sealy Independent School District driver reportedly punished students by limiting air circulation. Attorney Harry Daniels, representing the parent of two students on the bus, stated that the driver only had a fan for herself and made the ride unnecessarily slow.

Superintendent Bryan Hallmark denied that the driver was intentionally punishing the students, explaining that the driver believed they were driving at a safe speed on a dirt road. However, Daniels argued that it took the bus 30 minutes to travel a 3-mile route that should have taken just 6 minutes. A video provided by Daniels shows the driver stopping the bus and ordering students to close the windows, possibly due to some students placing their hands outside.

Despite the school district’s response, Daniels called for the driver’s termination, emphasizing that the students were subjected to extreme heat. He also noted that the district has received complaints about a lack of air conditioning on buses, and the route has since been adjusted to minimize time on dirt roads. The incident, which led to children pleading for relief from the heat, has sparked outrage among parents.

In the video, students can be heard complaining about the heat, with one child exclaiming, “It’s so hot, bro,” and another pleading, “Miss, it’s hot back here. These children need to breathe. You need to get us home.” The video ends with the students begging the driver to take them home. Daniels represents the mother of two children on the bus, including a 12-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl who has asthma.