Asha Gillus, a Washington D.C. mother, demanded answers after her six-year-old daughter Channing Gillus’ daily school bus ride took over two hours to take her to school last month.
According to NBC Washington, Gillus began to suspect something was wrong after the bus showed up at her home 15 minutes later than usual to pick up Channing.
She then decided to call the school and ask at what time her daughter arrived at class.
“At 10 a.m., I text Channing’s teacher just to say, ‘Hey, what time did Channing get to school?’ And her response was, ‘Channing’s not here,” Gillus said.
Channing’s bus route went directly from her home in Shepherd Park to Janney Elementary School in Tenleytown.
“I start calling people, texting people, emailing the director of transportation of [the Office of the State Superintendent of Education] in all caps ‘WHERE IS CHANNING?’ calling the school,” the anxious mother said.
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Gillus stayed at home, hoping that her daughter would return for some reason.
“It was a fear, something I still deal with every day because I still have no answers,” she said.
After two and a half hours, Channing arrived at school.
Due to her late attendance, she missed breakfast, and three crucial sessions, which Gillus said “are critical for her development because she has Down Syndrome, and she is in a special education program.”
The justifiably upset mother began to investigate the day’s events.
The bus driver, who was reportedly new to the route, had gotten lost due to a GPS error.
She also discovered the driver had taken Channing to her previous daycare center.
“I get a call from Channing’s former daycare center, that is down the street from her school, saying something happened,” she said.
“So they took Channing to the wrong building,” she added.
Gillus decided the next day she would contract a private driver and attendant for her daughter.
Although the Office of the State Superintendent of Education has promised to keep investigating the matter, Channing’s mom is not satisfied.
“I found this out by happenstance,” she said. “I cannot imagine the things that we do not know.”
The determined mother took to Twitter and shared an update on the situation.
The @OSSEDC still has not provided me with any updates. I spoke to @nbcwashington yesterday. https://t.co/GSVzGRrxMP
— Asha Pinkney Gillus (@ashapgillus) August 9, 2021
On August 9, she said, “The @OSSEDC still has not provided me with any updates.”
